OECD Launches Real-Time Maritime Trade Tracker Built on AIS Data: 23 Commodities, 4,100 Ports, 30,000 Berths

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is launching a new online data platform designed to monitor global commodity trade disruptions in near real time using vessel movement data. The tool, developed by the OECD Statistics team, has gone live this week.

The platform tracks flows across 23 commodity groups worldwide, covering nearly 30,000 berths at more than 4,100 ports. It uses Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, image analysis and network modelling to identify the commodities and shipping routes most exposed to disruption. The platform is designed to help governments, traders and shipping markets respond more quickly to geopolitical shocks, infrastructure failures and trade restrictions — including recent tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the OECD, the system was able to detect the short-lived disruption to UK imports caused by the collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge in 2024, highlighting the potential for faster economic monitoring than traditional trade statistics allow. The organisation said the tool's resulting trade proxies are 'not designed to replace official trade statistics' but 'provide valuable and complementary information on trade dynamics, particularly in periods of heightened uncertainty or rapid change.'

From a supply chain perspective, the emergence of such public-scale tools is a critical development. Private sector data vendors (Kpler, Vortexa, MarineTraffic, Windward) have offered similar services for years but at enterprise pricing. The OECD's free, government-validated dataset will give SMEs and emerging-market regulators new access. The day Norden CEO Rindbo published his 'ships stuck in Hormuz through year-end' scenario, the OECD tracker confirmed the 1,300 vessels figure — reinforcing demand for such 'turning-point' detectors.

Key Takeaways:
1. OECD has launched a real-time global maritime trade tracker built on AIS data.
2. The platform covers 23 commodity groups across 4,100+ ports and 30,000 berths.
3. Successful in early detection of events like the Hormuz crisis and 2024 Baltimore bridge collapse.
4. Aims to deliver fast turning-point signals, not replace official statistics.
5. Provides a public alternative to Kpler/Vortexa/MarineTraffic, broadening SME access.