Privacy Policy

Last updated: August 1, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how personal data is collected and used when you visit or use Ships.trade (the Service). It is a privacy notice, not consent to every type of processing described below.

1. Controller and contact

The data controller operates under the Ships.trade name. Its finalized legal name, legal form, registration number, registered office, VAT number (if applicable), and trade-register details are currently available on request and will be published here when finalized.

For privacy questions or requests, email info@ships.trade or use the contact page. Ships.trade does not identify this contact as a formally appointed Data Protection Officer.

2. Scope and professional users

The Service is intended for business and professional use only. This Policy covers visitors, account users, listing contacts, company representatives, message participants, API users, and people whose professional contact or listing information is received from another source.

3. Personal data we may process

• Account and identity data: name, email address, authentication credentials, locale, account identifiers, verification status, and OAuth identifiers.
• Company and professional data: company name, role, business address, telephone number, website, and professional profile information.
• Verification data: documents, submitted evidence, verification results, and sanctions or fraud-review information.
• Listing and vessel data: listing text, vessel characteristics, identifiers, photographs, attachments, source details, listing status, and associated contact information.
• Messages and communications: message content, attachments, participants, delivery information, metadata, support communications, complaints, reports, and appeals.
• Subscription and billing data: plan, billing interval, order and invoice details, payment status, payment-provider identifiers, and limited transaction information. Ships.trade does not need to receive full payment-card details when payment is handled by the payment provider.
• Technical and usage data: IP address, browser and device information, authentication and security logs, approximate location inferred from IP, cookie identifiers, pages viewed, searches, filters, listing impressions, API usage, and interaction events.
• Preferences: language, email preferences, cookie choices, matching preferences, and visibility settings.

Not every category is collected for every person. An empty public listing field means the information was not supplied or is not publicly available.

4. Sources of data

We may receive personal data:

• directly from you through registration, settings, listings, subscriptions, messages, support, and other forms;
• from another user or company that identifies you as a professional contact or representative;
• from commercial emails and broker circulars received by the Service;
• from public websites, vessel databases, AIS and maritime sources, sanctions lists, business directories, and other public records;
• from partners and other lawful data sources;
• from Google or Apple when you choose the relevant sign-in method;
• from payment, security, analytics, advertising, and other service providers; and
• automatically from your browser, device, cookies, and use of the Service.

If professional information about you was not collected directly from you, you may ask about its source or request correction, restriction, or deletion by contacting us.

5. Purposes and legal bases

Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider the purpose, necessity, impact on individuals, the professional context, and available safeguards. Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw consent without affecting earlier lawful processing.

6. Public marketplace data

Sale Listings, Wanted Requests, profiles, and contact details selected or authorized for public display may be accessible without an account. Public content may be indexed, cached, quoted, or processed by search engines, AI systems, archives, and other third parties. Removing content from Ships.trade does not guarantee immediate removal of copies controlled by third parties.

Visibility controls, registration, verification, or a subscription may be required to access some contact or vessel details.

7. Imported information and corrections

Ships.trade may structure professional and vessel information from commercial communications, public sources, and partner sources. Such information may be associated with an Unclaimed Profile and does not mean that the person created an account.

You may ask us to identify the available source, correct inaccurate data, hide contact details, or delete personal data. Non-personal technical and historical vessel facts may be retained where there is a lawful basis, but a confirmed outdated commercial offer should not continue to be presented as active.

8. Automated processing and AI-assisted functions

The Service may use rules, statistical methods, and AI-assisted tools for:

• classification of emails and listings;
• extraction and structuring of vessel characteristics;
• translation of listings and messages;
• duplicate, spam, malware, and fraud detection;
• vessel and Wanted Request matching;
• sanctions screening, content moderation, and listing recommendations; and
• service security and abuse scoring.

Automated outputs may be inaccurate. Where an automated decision has legal or similarly significant effects and applicable law grants a right to human review, you may request review through the contact details above. Ships.trade may use human review for moderation, fraud, sanctions, and complaint handling.

AI, translation, and infrastructure providers may process only the data needed to provide their service under applicable contractual and security controls. A complete current subprocessor list and provider-specific retention details are being prepared and may be requested in the meantime.

9. Recipients and service providers

Personal data may be shared as necessary with:

• hosting, database, storage, backup, content-delivery, and security providers;
• transactional email, communication, translation, AI, and support providers;
• payment processors, including Stripe where used for checkout, billing, and subscription management;
• identity providers, including Google and Apple when you choose those sign-in methods;
• Google services used for reCAPTCHA, analytics, advertising, fonts, and related website functions;
• professional advisers, auditors, insurers, and prospective parties to a business reorganization under appropriate confidentiality measures;
• competent authorities or other recipients where disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect rights and safety; and
• other parties when you direct or authorize the disclosure.

Service providers may use data only for the agreed service and their own legally disclosed purposes. Third-party services linked from Ships.trade have their own privacy notices.

10. International transfers

Ships.trade and its providers may process data in countries other than your own. Where applicable law requires a transfer mechanism, we use an adequacy decision, approved contractual safeguards, or another lawful mechanism, together with supplementary safeguards where appropriate. Provider locations and safeguards will be included in the planned subprocessor list.

11. Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose, including providing the Service, maintaining security, resolving disputes, enforcing agreements, and meeting accounting or other legal obligations.

Retention depends on the data type, account and listing status, legal requirements, risk of fraud or disputes, backup cycles, and whether the data remains necessary for a public vessel record. When data is no longer needed, it is deleted, anonymized, or isolated until deletion from backups. A detailed retention schedule for accounts, messages, logs, deleted listings, verification records, and backups is being finalized and may be requested in the meantime.

12. Cookies and similar technologies

The Service uses essential cookies for authentication, security, preferences, and operation. It also uses or may use analytics and advertising technologies, including Google Analytics and Google advertising services. These technologies may receive device, cookie, IP-address, page-view, and interaction information.

Where consent is required, non-essential technologies should be controlled through the available cookie choice. You may also use browser controls and provider opt-out tools. Withdrawing consent does not affect essential cookies required to provide a feature you request.

13. Your choices and rights

Depending on applicable law, you may have rights to:

• access personal data and obtain a copy;
• correct inaccurate or incomplete data;
• request deletion or restriction;
• object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing;
• receive portable data where the portability right applies;
• withdraw consent;
• request human review of qualifying automated decisions; and
• complain to the competent data-protection authority.

If the controller is established in Lithuania when you make a complaint, the relevant authority is the Lithuanian State Data Protection Inspectorate. You may also be entitled to complain to the authority where you live or work. We may need to verify your identity before completing a request.

14. Marketing and notification preferences

You can change available email preferences in account settings and use unsubscribe instructions where provided. Necessary security, billing, legal, and service messages may still be sent while your account or subscription remains active.

15. Security

We use technical and organizational measures intended to protect personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, loss, or disclosure. No internet transmission or storage system is completely secure. Please use a strong unique password and report suspected account compromise promptly.

16. Children

The Service is for business and professional users aged 18 or older. It is not directed to children, and we do not knowingly create accounts for children.

17. Changes to this Policy

We may update this Policy to reflect changes in the Service, providers, law, or processing practices. The updated date will be changed, and material changes will be communicated where required by applicable law.

18. Contact

Send privacy requests to info@ships.trade or through the contact page.