Global Fishing Watch API
API v3Vessels

Search vessels

Search vessels and retrieve identity details, combining GFW AIS identity data with over 40 public regional and national registries.

Vessels can be queried in two ways:

  • Basic Search (query parameter): Performs a full-text search across all vessel fields for the provided term.
  • Advanced Search (where parameter): Allows targeted filtering by specifying exact vessel fields to query against.

The results in this API are paginated. See Pagination for how limit, offset, and nextOffset work.

Search Vessels Examples

  • EXAMPLE 1 - Basic search - search any vessel by a keyword
  • EXAMPLE 2 - Advanced search - search any vessel by a keyword

Search vessels Specifications

GET
/v3/vessels/search

Authorization

ApiKeyAuth
AuthorizationBearer <token>

In: header

Query Parameters

since?string

The token to send to get more results.

limit?number

Amount of search results to return. Maximum 50. Default: 30

datasets*array<string>

Specify the datasets that will be used to search the vessel. You can learn more about which are the possible datasets here.

query?string

Free form query that allows you to search a vessel by sending some identifier, for example: MMSI, IMO, CALL SIGN,Shipname, etc. Identifier depends on the dataset. This property and where are incompatible together, you just can use one at once. Minimum 3 characters.

where?string

Advanced query that allows you to search a vessel by sending several identifiers. The list of identifiers depends on the dataset. You can combine logic operators like AND, OR, =, >= , <. LIKE operator is not supported yet. This property and query are incompatible together, you just can use one at once.

match-fields?array<string>

This query param allows to filter by matchFields levels. Possible values: ID_MATCH_ONLY, SEVERAL_FIELDS, NO_MATCH, ALL. It is allow to use with query query-param but not with where query-param

includes?array<string>

This query param allows to add extra information to the response. Possible values: MATCH_CRITERIA, OWNERSHIP, AUTHORIZATIONS

binary?boolean

If the response should be in binary format (proto buffer) or not. It is useful if you want to improve the performance of your platform. A decoder is needed to transform the response. Default is False

curl -X GET "https://example.com/v3/vessels/search?datasets=public-global-fishing-vessels%3Alatest&datasets=public-global-carrier-vessels%3Alatest"
{  "entries": [    {      "combinedSourcesInfo": [        {          "geartypes": [            {              "name": "OTHER",              "source": "GFW_OTHER_LIST",              "yearFrom": "2012",              "yearTo": "2023"            },            {              "name": "GEAR",              "source": "GFW_FISHING_LIST",              "yearFrom": "2013",              "yearTo": "2023"            }          ],          "inferredVesselClassAgNnet": [            {              "source": "AIS_INFERRED_NN_INFO",              "value": "TUNA_PURSE_SEINES",              "yearFrom": 2012,              "yearTo": 2025            }          ],          "onFishingListSr": [            {              "source": "GFW_VESSEL_LIST",              "value": true,              "yearFrom": 2012,              "yearTo": 2025            }          ],          "prodGeartypeSource": [            {              "source": "COMBINATION_OF_REGISTRY_AND_AIS_INFERRED_NN_INFO",              "value": "GFW_RESEARCH_VI_SSVID_BEST_VESSEL_CLASS",              "yearFrom": 2012,              "yearTo": 2025            }          ],          "registryVesselClass": [            {              "source": "REGISTRY",              "value": "OTHER_FISHING|PURSE_SEINES",              "yearFrom": 2012,              "yearTo": 2025            }          ],          "shiptypes": [            {              "name": "OTHER",              "source": "GFW_OTHER_LIST",              "yearFrom": "2012",              "yearTo": "2023"            },            {              "name": "FISHING",              "source": "GFW_FISHING_LIST",              "yearFrom": "2013",              "yearTo": "2023"            }          ],          "vesselId": "SINAR LAUTAN ABADI"        }      ],      "dataset": "proto-global-vessel-identity:latest",      "matchCriteria": [        {          "latestVesselInfo": true,          "matches": [            {              "property": "shipname",              "value": "STERNHAI"            }          ],          "period": {            "endDate": "2023-01-01"          },          "property": "selfReportedInfo.id",          "reference": "3023ab41b367d8f2d62d2a60c67c711f",          "source": "selfReportedInfo.id"        }      ],      "registryExtraFields": [        {}      ],      "registryInfo": [        {          "callsign": "Y4EO",          "extraFields": [            {}          ],          "flag": "DEU",          "geartypes": [            "trawlers"          ],          "id": "9e075a986-6162-fe6e-b25e-81188438a00c",          "imo": null,          "latestVesselInfo": true,          "lengthM": 26.4,          "nShipname": "STERNHAI",          "shipname": "STERNHAI",          "ssvid": "211307720",          "tonnageGt": 121,          "transmissionDateFrom": "2012-05-25 15:16:29 UTC",          "transmissionDateTo": "2014-06-30 08:51:05 UTC",          "vesselInfoReference": "3023ab41b367d8f2d62d2a60c67c711f"        }      ],      "registryInfoTotalRecords": 3,      "registryOwners": [        {          "dateFrom": "2014-06-30T00:00:00Z",          "dateTo": "2015-09-30T00:00:00Z",          "flag": "IDN",          "name": "SINAR LAUTAN ABADI",          "sourceCode": "IDN-1104",          "ssvid": "211307720"        }      ],      "registryPublicAuthorizations": [        {          "dateFrom": "2012-05-25T00:00:00Z",          "dateTo": "2014-06-30T00:00:00Z",          "sourceCode": "IDN-1104",          "ssvid": "211307720"        }      ],      "selfReportedInfo": [        {          "callsign": "Y4EO",          "flag": "DEU",          "id": "9e075a986-6162-fe6e-b25e-81188438a00c",          "imo": null,          "messagesCounter": 1284,          "nShipname": "STERNHAI",          "positionsCounter": 894,          "shipname": "STERNHAI",          "sourceCode": [            "AIS"          ],          "ssvid": "211307720",          "transmissionDateFrom": "2012-05-25 15:16:29 UTC",          "transmissionDateTo": "2014-06-30 08:51:05 UTC"        }      ]    }  ],  "limit": 10,  "metadata": {    "didYouMean": {      "shipname": [        {          "dataset": "public-global-vessel-identity:latest",          "metadata": {            "id": "d66d9e47a-a652-6009-ab1c-30549b4a59a1",            "nShipname": "DONTITO",            "shipname": "DON TITO"          },          "value": "DON TITO"        }      ]    },    "normalizedQuery": "DONTITO",    "query": "Don Tito"  },  "since": "MTAuNzQ1MDM5LjllMDc1YTk4Ni02MTYyLWZlNmUtYjI1ZS04MTE4ODQzOGEwMGM=",  "total": 152}

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