AIS Trail — Claude Code MCP server: what it does, how to install
Hosted maritime MCP server for tracking vessels via AIS. Delivers live ship positions, voyage history, port calls, and sanctions checks to your assistant.
claude mcp add --transport http ais https://api.aistrail.com/mcpWhat AIS Trail does
The server runs remotely over HTTP at https://api.aistrail.com/mcp, removing the need for any local scripts. It functions strictly in read-only mode. Live vessel lookups by IMO or MMSI, nearby ship queries, and port searches by UN/LOCODE work immediately without an account.
Historical route tracks, port activity logs, and sanctions checks against OFAC, UK, or EU lists require an API token sent in the authorization header. These archive tools consume credits from your AIS Trail account. You cannot use this data for vessel navigation.
What it helps with
- locate vessels by IMO or MMSI numbers
- screen ship lists against OFAC, UK, and EU sanctions
- find ships reported within a specific bounding box in the last hour
- inspect past port calls of a ship along with draught details
Example prompts for the agent
- Check the current position and destination of the vessel with IMO 9123456.
- List all ships reported near the Port of Rotterdam in the past hour.
- Run a sanctions check on this list of vessel names.
How to install AIS Trail
Platform CLI: remote server
claude mcp add --transport http ais https://api.aistrail.com/mcpPlatform CLI: remote server
codex mcp add ais-trail --url https://api.aistrail.com/mcpConfig file
{
"mcpServers": {
"ais-trail": {
"url": "https://api.aistrail.com/mcp"
}
}
}Config file
{
"servers": {
"ais-trail": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://api.aistrail.com/mcp"
}
}
}Platform CLI: remote server
gemini mcp add -t http ais-trail https://api.aistrail.com/mcpStep by step, with commands for each platform: How to add an MCP server to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and more
Questions about AIS Trail
How to install AIS Trail in Claude Code?
Run claude mcp add --transport http ais-trail https://api.aistrail.com/mcp. To enable archive features, add your API key via the --header option.
What does AIS Trail do?
It connects your assistant to AIS maritime data, providing live vessel locations, historical routes, port visits, and international sanctions flags.
Do you need an API key for AIS Trail?
Real-time searches and port lookups work without any authentication. An API key is required to query archive tracks, past port calls, or sanctions registries.
