Understanding the 16 navigation status codes transmitted by vessels via AIS to indicate their current operational state.
All 16 possible navigation status values as defined in the ITU-R M.1371 standard. These codes are transmitted in AIS messages 1, 2, and 3.
| Code | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Under way using engine | Vessel is moving under its own power |
| 1 | At anchor | Vessel is anchored and stationary |
| 2 | Not under command | Vessel unable to maneuver as required by rules |
| 3 | Restricted manoeuvrability | Vessel limited in ability to maneuver due to work |
| 4 | Constrained by her draught | Vessel limited by water depth relative to draught |
| 5 | Moored | Vessel secured to a fixed structure or dock |
| 6 | Aground | Vessel has run aground |
| 7 | Engaged in Fishing | Vessel actively fishing (not transiting) |
| 8 | Under way sailing | Vessel moving under sail only |
| 9 | Reserved for future amendment | HSC (High-Speed Craft) in some implementations |
| 10 | Reserved for future amendment | WIG (Wing-In-Ground) in some implementations |
| 11 | Power-driven vessel towing astern | Vessel towing another vessel or object |
| 12 | Power-driven vessel pushing ahead or towing alongside | Vessel pushing or towing alongside |
| 13 | Reserved for future use | Not currently assigned |
| 14 | AIS-SART (active) | Search and Rescue Transponder is active |
| 15 | Undefined | Default value, status not set |
In practice, you'll encounter these five statuses most frequently in AIS data.
~60%
of all AIS data
~25%
of all AIS data
~8%
of all AIS data
~3%
of all AIS data
~2%
of all AIS data
Navigation status is manually set by the vessel's crew and is often not updated correctly. Common issues include:
Best practice: Combine navigation status with speed, heading changes, and position patterns for more accurate vessel state determination.
How different industries leverage navigation status data for operational insights.
Track vessels transitioning between moored, at anchor, and under way states
Identify vessels actively fishing vs transiting between fishing grounds
Monitor for emergency conditions requiring attention
Understand vessel movement patterns and congestion
The navstat field in our API returns the numeric navigation status code.
{
"mmsi": "211234567",
"name": "ATLANTIC STAR",
"navstat": 0,
"navstat_text": "Under way using engine",
"speed": 12.4,
"course": 245.5,
"heading": 244,
"lat": 51.8892,
"lon": 4.3456,
"timestamp": "2024-01-15T14:32:18Z"
}Our API provides both the numeric code (navstat) and human-readable text (navstat_text) for convenience.
Now you can programmatically find all vessels matching a specific navigation status using our Vessels by Navigation Status API. Filter by status, world zone, vessel type, and laden condition to identify vessels that meet your exact criteria.
POST https://datadocked.com/api/vessels_operations/get-vessels-by-navigational-status
Headers:
x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY
Content-Type: application/json
Body:
{
"navigational_status": "at-anchor",
"world_zone": "baltic-sea",
"vessel_type": "bulk-carrier",
"laden": "ballast"
}
Response:
{
"vessels": [
{
"imo": "9876543",
"mmsi": "123456789",
"name": "VESSEL NAME",
"country": "Panama",
"shipType": "Bulk Carrier"
}
]
}under-way - Vessel underway using engineat-anchor - Vessel at anchormoored - Vessel mooreddrifting - Vessel drifting (no zone needed)Get live vessel positions with navigation status updates through our API. Start with 20 free credits.