Tracking Your Ship’s Voyages at Shipfinex

From the Shipfinex Team

Here's something you probably never thought you'd do: watch a ship that you own cross the oceans in real-time. But when you own a fraction of a physical asset that's constantly moving and working, shouldn't you be able to see it live?

That's exactly what the Voyage tab on your Shipfinex platform does. It connects your digital token to the physical reality of the ship you own. It shows you, right now, where your ship is, where it's going, how fast it's moving.

This is proof that what you own isn't a spreadsheet entry. It's a working maritime asset engaged in global trade, and you can watch it operate 24/7.

What the Voyage Tab Shows You

When you click on the Voyage tab, you'll see a live map with a ship icon showing the current position. This is the same professional-grade data used by port authorities and logistics giants.

AIS was developed for maritime safety. Ships continuously broadcast their position, course, speed, and other data via VHF radio signals picked up by AIS receivers at sea or coastal stations. According to the International Maritime Organization, over 200,000 ships transmit AIS data continuously, creating one of the world's most comprehensive real-time logistics networks (2).

What this means for you: the position you see isn't coming from the ship owner's reports or Shipfinex's database. It's coming directly from the ship itself and picked up by independent AIS tracking services. No one can fake this data.

The map interface is intuitive. You'll see your ship represented by an icon showing the ship type and orientation based on its heading. You can zoom in to see details, or zoom out to see entire ocean crossings.

Understanding the Data

Below the map, you'll see Voyage Data with specific information about the ship's current journey.

Departure and Destination show you the ports the ship is traveling between. A ship traveling from Shanghai to Los Angeles is serving the trans-Pacific trade lane, one of the world's busiest shipping routes handling billions of dollars in goods annually (3). Different routes have different charter rate dynamics and seasonal patterns.

ETA, or Estimated Time of Arrival, shows when the ship is expected to reach its destination based on current speed and course. According to maritime logistics research, the average container ship spends approximately 60 to 70% of its time at sea and 30 to 40% in port (4). Tracking ETA helps you understand the ship's operational rhythm.

Speed is displayed in knots, where one knot equals one nautical mile per hour. Ships typically cruise at speeds between 12 and 22 knots depending on ship type and market conditions (5). Speed tells you whether your ship is making normal progress or slow steaming to save fuel.

Course shows the ship's heading in degrees. You probably won't reference this daily, but it confirms the ship is heading toward its stated destination.

What Real-Time Tracking Actually Proves

You might think: okay, I can see my ship moving. What does it actually prove?

First, it proves the ship exists as a physical asset. Real-time AIS tracking eliminates the theoretical risk that the underlying asset doesn't exist. You're seeing broadcast data from a physical ship that's been registered with maritime authorities and is actively transmitting its position.

Second, it proves the ship is actively engaged in commerce. Ships don't move between major ports for fun. They move because they're under charter to transport cargo. The combination of ports, timing, speed, and loaded draught tells you the ship is performing its commercial function.

Third, it provides independent verification of operational claims. When you review projections or reports, they'll reference utilization rates and routes. The Voyage tab lets you independently verify these claims over time.

Fourth, it creates accountability. Knowing that every owner can see real-time operations creates incentive for professional management. There's nowhere to hide when the ship's actual movements and loading conditions are visible to everyone.

How to Use the Voyage Tab

You don't need to check daily. But periodic checks give you valuable insight.

When you first purchase tokens, spend time with the Voyage tab. Watch where the ship is. Note the departure and destination. Look at the speed and ETA. Get a baseline understanding of normal operations.

Then check back periodically, perhaps weekly. You'll start to recognize patterns. Container ships often have regular routes. Bulk carriers might have more varied routes depending on cargo. Tankers follow routes driven by supply and demand patterns.

If you notice something unusual, like the ship sitting stationary in an unexpected port, those are opportunities to reach out for explanation. Most often there's a routine reason, such as weather routing or waiting for port berth availability.

You can also use the Voyage tab educationally. Follow your ship's progress across major shipping lanes. Learn about the ports it visits. Understand the global trade flows your ship participates in. This makes you a more informed owner.

Transparency in Action

The Voyage tab represents something fundamental about Shipfinex: transparency. We could have built a platform where you just see financial dashboards. 

Instead, we've connected you directly to real-time operational data. You see the same AIS information that port authorities and ship managers see. This is professional-grade maritime tracking made accessible.

This transparency builds trust and educates owners about the maritime business. It creates accountability. And honestly, it's satisfying to watch a massive asset you own move across the planet doing what it's designed to do.

Traditional maritime ownership kept this information locked away. The Voyage tab inverts this model. Every fractional owner, regardless of stake size, sees the same real-time data.

Your Ship is Moving Right Now

While you've been reading this, your ship has traveled several nautical miles. It's using fuel, displacing water, following its course. The crew is monitoring systems. The cargo in its hold is part of the trillions of dollars in goods that move by sea annually.

And unlike traditional ownership where you'd need special access to know any of this, you can open the Voyage tab and see it all.

Before our first ship launches, familiarize yourself with the Voyage tab. Understand what each data point means. Get comfortable with the idea that fractional ownership doesn't mean abstract ownership. It means owning a piece of a working asset you can watch operating, anywhere, anytime.

Until next time,

Team Shipfinex

This newsletter is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Maritime asset ownership involves significant risks, including operational challenges, market volatility, and potential loss of capital. Past performance is not an indicator of future results. Real-time tracking provides operational transparency but does not guarantee financial performance. Please review all offering documents before making ownership decisions.

Sources: Maritime statistics from IMO, UNCTAD, and industry research organizations.

Shipfinex Team Real Assets, Real Operations, Real-Time Transparency