Help & FAQ
Answers, fast.
The most common questions about Vessel Hunter — data and coverage, watchlists, contact enrichment, plans, the API, and privacy. Can’t find it? Open the assistant in the bottom-right corner to ask our AI, or message our team.
Getting started
What is Vessel Hunter?
Vessel Hunter is a maritime intelligence platform that pairs real-time AIS vessel tracking with the verified decision-maker behind each ship. It is built for the commercial teams who sell to vessels — port agents, ship chandlers, shipyards, and service providers — so a ship on the map becomes a contactable lead.
Who is Vessel Hunter for?
It is built for commercial maritime teams: port agents tracking arrivals, ship chandlers and suppliers chasing port calls, shipyards and repair yards looking for refit candidates, and service providers who need to reach the operator behind a vessel. If your job depends on knowing which ships are coming and who runs them, it is for you.
How do I get started?
Request access from the website to set up your account, then sign in and open the dashboard. From there you can explore the fleet, search by IMO or vessel name, build a watchlist for the vessels or areas you care about, and open a vessel dossier to see specs, ownership, and the contact behind the ship.
Data & coverage
Where does the vessel data come from?
Vessel positions come from AIS — the transponder signal every commercial ship broadcasts — fused from both terrestrial receivers and satellite so coverage continues out at sea. That live feed is matched to vessel particulars, ownership trees, and port records, all keyed on the permanent IMO number so a ship’s history follows the hull even after a rename or reflag.
Which vessels and areas are covered?
Coverage spans the global AIS-broadcasting commercial fleet — tankers, bulkers, container ships, gas carriers, and more — anywhere terrestrial or satellite AIS reaches. Each vessel is identified by its IMO number, and you can filter the fleet by type, size (DWT/GT), area, and ownership. If a specific ship or region is missing, contact us and we can check coverage for you.
How up to date is the tracking data?
Live positions update in near real time as AIS broadcasts are received. Coverage in busy coastal waters is densest from terrestrial receivers; mid-ocean relies on satellite passes, so updates there can be less frequent. Vessel particulars, ownership, and port history are refreshed on their own cadence rather than second-by-second.
How do I find a specific vessel?
Use the search (press Cmd/Ctrl-K anywhere in the app) or the fleet explorer and search by vessel name or IMO number. The IMO number is the most reliable lookup because it never changes, even after a sale, rename, or reflag. Opening a result takes you to the full vessel dossier.
Watchlists & alerts
What are watchlists and how do alerts work?
A watchlist is a saved set of criteria — specific vessels, a fleet, a port, or an area — that Vessel Hunter monitors for you. When a vessel matches (for example, approaches a port you watch), it raises an alert so you can act before the ship arrives. You manage watchlists and their alert rules from the dashboard.
How do I get notified — email, push, or Slack?
Alerts can reach you by in-app notification and email, with mobile push available through the Vessel Hunter app and Slack delivery on eligible plans. Choose which events go to which channel in your notification settings. Slack delivery and some advanced alert types depend on your plan.
How many watchlists can I create?
The number of watchlists depends on your plan — the free tier includes a small allowance, while paid plans raise the limit substantially and Enterprise removes it. If you hit your limit, you can upgrade from billing settings or talk to us about Enterprise.
Contacts & enrichment
How do I find the contact behind a vessel?
Each vessel dossier links to its operator and ownership, and contact enrichment reveals the verified decision-maker — name, role, and business email or mobile where available. Enrichment is a paid capability, so on the free tier contacts may appear masked until you upgrade. Contacts are business-purpose B2B data, not personal consumer data.
How accurate and current are the contacts?
Contacts are verified and carry a last-verified date so you can judge freshness, and ownership is resolved against the vessel’s IMO number so it stays attached to the right company through changes. No dataset is perfect — if you spot something wrong, flag it and we will re-check and correct it.
Can I export vessels, companies, or contacts?
Yes — list and table views offer an export (for example to Excel/CSV) so you can pull a watchlist, a filtered fleet, or a set of companies into your own CRM or spreadsheet. Programmatic access is also available via the API on eligible plans.
Account & access
How do I sign in or reset my password?
Sign in from the login page with your email and password. If you have forgotten your password, use the "Forgot password" link to receive a secure reset email. If you do not have an account yet, request access and we will get you set up.
Can I add teammates to my account?
Yes — paid plans support multiple seats so your team shares one workspace, watchlists, and saved views, with Enterprise offering the most seats. The number of seats depends on your plan. Reach out if you need to add people beyond your current allowance.
Plans & billing
What plans are available and how much do they cost?
Vessel Hunter is one plan with every feature included — billed per user per month, month-to-month, with no long-term contract. Volume pricing kicks in above five seats, and fleet-scale teams get custom enterprise terms. See the pricing page for the current rate, or contact us and our team can walk you through what fits.
How do I upgrade, change, or cancel my plan?
Manage your subscription from billing settings in the dashboard, where you can upgrade, change, or cancel through the secure billing portal. Changes take effect according to your billing cycle. If you need an invoice, a refund, or help with a charge, contact us and we will sort it out.
API & mobile
Is there an API?
Yes — eligible plans include programmatic API access via personal API tokens you generate in settings, so you can pull vessel, company, and watchlist data into your own systems. API access depends on your plan; ask us if you are not sure whether yours includes it.
Is there a mobile app?
Yes — Vessel Hunter has a native mobile app for iOS and Android so you can check arrivals, watchlists, and contacts on the go, and receive push alerts. Sign in with the same account you use on the web.
Privacy & security
How do you handle privacy and GDPR?
Vessel Hunter is operated from the EU (Vessel Hunter, Heerle) and processes business-purpose B2B contact data under GDPR. We publish a privacy policy and a Data Processing Agreement, and offer granular cookie consent. For data-subject or compliance requests, contact us through the privacy page.
Still need a hand?
Open the support assistant in the bottom-right corner to ask a question, or request access to get started. Human support is 24/7 — live during business hours, otherwise a reply within 24 hours.