How do I find my NavAPI Key?

Log in to your [**NavAPI dashboard**](https://navapi.com/), and you will find your API Key under the 'API Settings' or 'My Keys' section. Copy and paste it below.

Does it calculate real-world nautical distances?

Yes. The `get_port_distance` tool calculates the distance in nautical miles (NM) between two ports using established maritime routes.

Can the agent show vessel counts at ports?

Yes. The `get_port_vessel_traffic` tool provides real-time statistics on the number of vessels currently identified at a specific port.

NavAPI MCP Server for VS Code Copilot 6 tools — connect in under 2 minutes

Name: NavAPI
Availability: InStock
Author: Vinkius

code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/chat/mcp-servers

Built by Vinkius GDPR 6 Tools IDE

GitHub Copilot in VS Code is the most widely adopted AI coding assistant, embedded directly into the world's most popular code editor. With MCP support in Agent mode, Copilot can access external data and APIs to generate context-aware code grounded in real-time information.

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The modern way to manage MCP Servers — no config files, no terminal commands. Install NavAPI and 2,500+ MCP Servers from a single visual interface.

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Classic Setup·json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "navapi": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

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Stream every event to Splunk, Datadog, or your own webhook in real-time

* Every MCP server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS - a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts optimized for native MCP execution. See our infrastructure

About NavAPI MCP Server

Empower your AI agent to orchestrate your entire maritime research and nautical auditing workflow with NavAPI, the comprehensive source for global shipping and navigation data. By connecting NavAPI to your agent, you transform complex logistics searches into a natural conversation. Your agent can instantly search for maritime ports, audit nautical distances, and retrieve vessel traffic statistics without you ever touching a technical portal. Whether you are planning shipping routes or conducting regional maritime audits, your agent acts as a real-time nautical consultant, ensuring your data is always precise and localized.

GitHub Copilot Agent mode brings NavAPI data directly into your VS Code workflow. With a project-scoped config, the entire team shares access to 6 tools. Copilot queries live data, generates typed code, and writes tests from actual API responses, all without leaving the editor.

What you can do

Port Auditing — Retrieve high-resolution details for thousands of global maritime ports, including country and coordinate metadata.
Route Oversight — Audit nautical distances between any two ports to maintain a clear view of shipping logistics and scale.
Traffic Intelligence — Query real-time vessel traffic for specific ports to understand the current industry distribution instantly.
Chart Discovery — List available nautical charts for specific geographic areas to assist in regional navigation planning.
Logistics Monitoring — Check API status to ensure your maritime research workflow is always operational.

The NavAPI MCP Server exposes 6 tools through the Vinkius. Connect it to VS Code Copilot in under two minutes — no API keys to rotate, no infrastructure to provision, no vendor lock-in. Your configuration, your data, your control.

How to Connect NavAPI to VS Code Copilot via MCP

Follow these steps to integrate the NavAPI MCP Server with VS Code Copilot.

Create MCP config

Create a .vscode/mcp.json file in your project root

Add the server config

Paste the JSON configuration above

Enable Agent mode

Open GitHub Copilot Chat and switch to Agent mode using the dropdown

Start using NavAPI

Ask Copilot: "Using NavAPI, help me...". 6 tools available

Why Use VS Code Copilot with the NavAPI MCP Server

GitHub Copilot for Visual Studio Code provides unique advantages when paired with NavAPI through the Model Context Protocol.

VS Code is used by over 70% of developers. adding MCP tools to Copilot means your team can leverage external data without leaving their primary editor

Project-scoped MCP configs (`.vscode/mcp.json`) let you commit server configurations to your repository, ensuring the entire team shares the same tool access

Copilot's Agent mode integrates MCP tools seamlessly with file editing, terminal commands, and workspace search in a single agentic loop

GitHub's enterprise compliance and audit features extend to MCP tool usage, providing visibility into how AI interacts with external services

NavAPI + VS Code Copilot Use Cases

Practical scenarios where VS Code Copilot combined with the NavAPI MCP Server delivers measurable value.

Live API integration: Copilot can query an MCP server, inspect the response schema, and generate typed API client code in the same step

DevSecOps workflows: security teams can give developers access to domain intelligence tools directly in their editor for real-time vulnerability assessment during code review

Data pipeline development: Copilot fetches sample data via MCP and generates transformation scripts, validators, and test fixtures from actual API responses

Documentation generation: Copilot queries available tools and auto-generates README sections, API reference docs, and usage examples

NavAPI MCP Tools for VS Code Copilot (6)

These 6 tools become available when you connect NavAPI to VS Code Copilot via MCP:

check_api_status

Check if the NavAPI service is operational

get_nautical_ports

List global maritime ports with optional country filter

get_port_distance

Calculate the nautical distance between two ports

get_port_vessel_traffic

Get current vessel traffic statistics for a specific port

list_nautical_charts

List nautical charts available for a specific geographic area

search_maritime_routes

Search for maritime shipping routes

Example Prompts for NavAPI in VS Code Copilot

Ready-to-use prompts you can give your VS Code Copilot agent to start working with NavAPI immediately.

"Search for ports in 'Singapore' using NavAPI."

"Calculate the nautical distance between 'SGSIN' (Singapore) and 'NLRTM' (Rotterdam)."

"What is the current traffic at the Port of Shanghai (CNSHA)?"

Troubleshooting NavAPI MCP Server with VS Code Copilot

Common issues when connecting NavAPI to VS Code Copilot through the Vinkius, and how to resolve them.

MCP tools not available

Ensure you are in Agent mode in Copilot Chat. MCP tools only appear in Agent mode.

NavAPI + VS Code Copilot FAQ

Common questions about integrating NavAPI MCP Server with VS Code Copilot.

Which VS Code version supports MCP?

MCP support requires VS Code 1.99 or later with the GitHub Copilot extension. Ensure both are updated to the latest version. Older versions of Copilot may not expose the Agent mode toggle.

How do I switch to Agent mode?

Open the Copilot Chat panel and look for two mode options: "Ask" and "Agent". Click "Agent" to enable autonomous tool calling. In Ask mode, Copilot provides conversational answers but cannot invoke MCP tools.

Can I restrict which MCP tools Copilot can access?

Yes. VS Code shows a tool consent dialog before any MCP tool is invoked for the first time. You can also configure tool access policies at the organization level through GitHub Copilot settings.

Does MCP work in VS Code Remote or Codespaces?

Yes. MCP servers configured via .vscode/mcp.json work in Remote SSH, WSL, and GitHub Codespaces environments. The MCP connection is established from the remote host, so ensure the server URL is accessible from that environment.