Where does the ship type come from?
From the ship's own AIS transponder (static data, message 5). The crew sets the type code; codes 70-79 mean cargo ship, 80-89 tanker (ITU-R M.1371 Table 53).
Cargo ships.
12,661 ships. Merchant ships whose AIS transponder reports ship type 70-79 (cargo): bulk carriers, general cargo, ro-ro, car carriers, reefers and feeders that are not in a container schedule.
Find a ship
Type a name, a 7-digit IMO number or a 9-digit MMSI, or pick a letter to list cargo ships A-Z.
| Name | IMO | MMSI | Type |
|---|
AIS ship type codes in this list
12,661 of 12,661 ships have broadcast a type code on AIS.
| Code | Meaning (ITU-R M.1371 Table 53) | Ships |
|---|---|---|
| 70 | Cargo ship, all ships of this type | 10,282 |
| 79 | Cargo ship, no additional information | 1,283 |
| 71 | Cargo ship; cargo on this voyage: dangerous goods category X | 618 |
| 74 | Cargo ship; cargo on this voyage: dangerous goods category OS | 175 |
| 75 | Cargo ship, reserved code 75 | 86 |
| 72 | Cargo ship; cargo on this voyage: dangerous goods category Y | 84 |
| 73 | Cargo ship; cargo on this voyage: dangerous goods category Z | 67 |
| 78 | Cargo ship, reserved code 78 | 27 |
| 76 | Cargo ship, reserved code 76 | 22 |
| 77 | Cargo ship, reserved code 77 | 17 |
Source: ITU-R M.1371 (AIS message 5: IMO number, call sign, ship type, draught, destination). Data as of 13 Nov 2026.
Questions
Can the category change?
Rarely: only when the crew changes the AIS type code or the ship joins or leaves a carrier's schedule. The list is rebuilt from the AIS registry and the schedules on each data update.
How do I see where a ship is now?
Open the ship in Navo vessel tracking (the Track link in each row). It shows the latest AIS position, speed, course and the destination typed by the crew.
All ships: Vessel Library. Ship classes and size limits: Vessel Types.