VESSEL RECORD METHODOLOGY
How retained vessel records should be interpreted.
VesselMCP displays local retained records without browser refresh, inferred facts or claims of current vessel state.
- 01
Confirm the IMO
Match the record to a valid seven-digit IMO before comparing names, particulars or snapshots.
- 02
Use the applicable date
Read the core record date for core fields and the separate record date on each optional snapshot.
- 03
Keep the limitation
Carry factual coverage and scope limitations into research notes and downstream structured use.
TECHNICAL METHOD
Record model, time and provenance
Record model
A canonical vessel record is keyed by IMO. It contains a dated core record and can contain separately dated optional snapshots for name history, vessel type classification, PSC inspections and certificate summary.
Time semantics
The core recordDate is 2026-09-01 and applies to the core fields shown. Optional snapshots carry their own recordDate. This public retained-record page model does not expose separate observed-at or retrieved-at timestamps, so recordDate must not be presented as either.
Missing data
Unknown means a value is explicitly recorded as unknown; Not available means a value is not retained or published; Not applicable means the field does not apply. In this dataset, missing optional fields and sections are normally omitted instead of being assigned one of these labels.
AIS limitations
AIS-derived or AIS-like voyage and position fields can be delayed, incomplete, stale or manually entered. Destination, status, course, speed and relative position age must be treated as dated recorded values, not verified current state.
Source provenance
Public provenance uses Vessel MCP record and Vessel MCP retained snapshot terminology. Each retained block states its record label, date, factual coverage and scope limitation; the site does not claim independent verification or ownership.
Historical records and current state
A retained voyage value, inspection entry, name or certificate-presence field describes its dated record only. It cannot establish a vessel’s present location, condition, identity status, inspection status or certificate validity.
Operational reading notes
- Relative position-report age remains the string retained in the core record; no absolute observation time is derived.
- ATD and ETA strings are displayed as recorded, and missing years are not inferred.
- Conflicting identity values remain in their separately dated records and are not merged into an unsupported conclusion.
- A missing field or section does not establish that the corresponding fact or event is absent elsewhere.