Barentswatch MCP Server

March 16, 2025 ยท View on GitHub

This is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for the Barentswatch AIS (Automatic Identification System) API that provides access to maritime vessel tracking data in Norwegian waters.

Features

  • Real-time vessel position tracking
  • Vessel details lookup by MMSI number
  • Geographic area vessel search
  • Vessel filtering by ship type
  • Access to raw AIS data through resources
  • Prompt templates for common maritime analysis tasks

Prerequisites

Before using this server, you need:

  1. A Barentswatch.no account
  2. API credentials (Client ID and Client Secret) from Barentswatch.no
  3. Python 3.8 or later

Setup

  1. Clone this repository
  2. Install dependencies: 
    pip install mcp httpx python-dotenv
  3. Create a .env file with your credentials: 
    BARENTSWATCH_USERNAME=your_username
BARENTSWATCH_PASSWORD=your_password
BARENTSWATCH_CLIENT_ID=your_client_id
BARENTSWATCH_CLIENT_SECRET=your_client_secret

Running the Server

Development Mode

The fastest way to test and debug the server is with the MCP Inspector:

mcp dev barentswatch_server.py

Claude Desktop Integration

To install the server in Claude Desktop:

mcp install barentswatch_server.py --name "Barentswatch AIS"

Or manually add it to your claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "barentswatch": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["/path/to/barentswatch_server.py"],
      "env": {
        "BARENTSWATCH_USERNAME": "your_username",
        "BARENTSWATCH_PASSWORD": "your_password",
        "BARENTSWATCH_CLIENT_ID": "your_client_id",
        "BARENTSWATCH_CLIENT_SECRET": "your_client_secret"
      }
    }
  }
}

Available Tools

This MCP server provides the following tools:

  • get_vessel_positions: Get the latest vessel positions, optionally filtered by time
  • get_vessel_details: Get detailed information about a specific vessel by MMSI
  • find_vessels_in_area: Find vessels within a geographic area defined by coordinates
  • search_vessels_by_type: Search for vessels of a specific type using AIS ship type codes

Available Resources

  • barentswatch://ais/latest: The latest AIS data for all vessels
  • barentswatch://ais/vessel/{mmsi}: Data for a specific vessel by MMSI

Available Prompts

  • analyze_vessel_traffic: Template for analyzing vessel traffic in a specific area
  • track_specific_vessel: Template for tracking and analyzing a specific vessel

AIS Ship Type Codes

Some common AIS ship type codes for use with the search_vessels_by_type tool:

  • 30-39: Fishing vessels
  • 40-49: High-speed craft
  • 60-69: Passenger vessels
  • 70-79: Cargo vessels
  • 80-89: Tankers

Authentication

The server handles authentication with the Barentswatch API automatically. Tokens are refreshed as needed, so you don't need to manage them manually.

Rate Limiting and Usage

Please be aware of Barentswatch's rate limits and terms of service when using this MCP server. The server includes automatic token refresh but doesn't implement backoff for rate limiting.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

  • Data provided by The Norwegian Coastal Administration (Kystverket) through Barentswatch.no
  • Built using the Model Context Protocol (MCP) for AI assistants