This data was obtained through a partnership with IMF, as part of IMF's World Seaborne Trade Monitoring System (Cerdeiro, Komaromi, Liu and Saeed, 2020). The data analysis was supported by the World Bank’s ESMAP and PROBLUE programs.
The dataset contains 6 density layers, with vessel types aggregated to suit the needs of the WBG Offshore Wind Development Program:
1) Commercial ships
2) Fishing ships
3) Oil & Gas [note: this is just platforms, rigs, and FPSOs]
4) Passenger ships
5) Leisure vessels
6) GLOBAL ship density layers of all ship categories combined
The raster layers were created using IMF's analysis of hourly AIS positions received between Jan-2015 and Feb-2021 and represent the total number of AIS positions that have been reported by ships in each grid cell with dimensions of 0.005 degree by 0.005 degree (approximately a 500m x 500m grid at the Equator).
The AIS positions may have been transmitted by both moving and stationary ships within each grid cell, therefore the density is analogous to the general intensity of shipping activity.