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Digitraffic Ais

by io.github.pipeworx-io
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Ais Area Count

ais_area_count
Read-onlyIdempotent

Count how many ships are in an area right now, broken down by ship-type category and by whether they are moving or stationary. Answers "how many vessels are in this area", "how many tankers are in the Gulf of Finland", "ship traffic count in a bounding box", "how many vessels are anchored off Helsinki". Give EITHER a circle (latitude, longitude, radius_km) OR a bounding box (min_lat, max_lat, min_lon, max_lon). Returns total, by_category counts (cargo, tanker, passenger, fishing, other), moving versus stationary using a 0.5-knot threshold, and the data timestamp. COVERAGE IS REGIONAL: Fintraffic AIS receivers over Finland and the surrounding Baltic Sea; an area elsewhere in the world counts zero. Example: min_lat 59.3, max_lat 60.5, min_lon 22.0, max_lon 28.0 for the Gulf of Finland; or latitude 60.15, longitude 24.95, radius_km 50 for Helsinki.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
max_latNoBounding-box mode: northern latitude edge.
max_lonNoBounding-box mode: eastern longitude edge.
min_latNoBounding-box mode: southern latitude edge.
min_lonNoBounding-box mode: western longitude edge.
latitudeNoCircle mode: centre latitude in decimal degrees.
longitudeNoCircle mode: centre longitude in decimal degrees.
radius_kmNoCircle mode: radius in kilometres. Default 25, maximum 100.
vessel_typeNoOptional ship-type filter applied before counting. One of: cargo, tanker, passenger, fishing, tug, pilot, sar, military, sailing, pleasure, high-speed, service, other.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. First observed

TDQS

A4.4/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Beyond the readOnly/idempotent annotations, the description discloses key behaviors: regional coverage limitations, the 0.5-knot moving threshold, the returned data categories, and a data timestamp. This significantly exceeds what annotations alone convey.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is front-loaded with the core purpose, then efficiently covers input modes, output details, coverage caveats, and a concrete example. Every sentence carries useful information without redundancy.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With no output schema, the description fully explains the return structure (total, by_category, moving/stationary, timestamp). It also covers regional behavior and provides examples, making the tool self-sufficient for correct invocation.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so parameters are already well-documented. The description adds valuable constraints like the exclusive OR between circle and bounding box, radius defaults/maximums, and clarifies the vessel_type filter is applied before counting. This is meaningful added context.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool counts ships in an area, broken down by category and movement, with example queries. It does not explicitly differentiate from sibling tools like ais_vessels_near, so it misses the top mark.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description provides clear context for when to use the tool (counting queries) and how to specify an area via circle or bounding box. However, it does not explicitly state when not to use it or name alternative tools, so exclusions are missing.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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