How do I add more boat traffic in Microsoft Flight Simulator?
Add more boat traffic in Microsoft Flight Simulator with built-in settings, free PC ship packs, console options and fixes for missing vessels.
To add more boat traffic in Microsoft Flight Simulator, first raise the built-in Ships and Ferries and Leisure Boats densities. On PC, install a compatible route-and-vessel package in the active simulator’s Community folder for far greater variety. Xbox and PlayStation users can add only maritime products released through their in-simulator Marketplace.
What kind of boat and ship traffic does Microsoft Flight Simulator include?
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 include moving ships, ferries and leisure craft, but the built-in selection is relatively modest. Vessel density varies with location, simulator settings and installed scenery.
This maritime traffic simulation is separate from live aircraft, airport ground vehicles and multiplayer traffic. Increasing airline or road traffic will not add boats. Likewise, static harbour scenery and vessels embedded in photogrammetry are not controlled by the maritime sliders.
MSFS does not, by itself, reproduce every real-world vessel from live AIS data. Products described as global AI ship traffic usually provide authored shipping routes, schedules and vessel models rather than a live feed. A route may resemble real shipping activity without showing the exact position of a real vessel.
| Option | What it adds | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in maritime traffic | Basic moving ships, ferries and small leisure boats | You want more activity without installing anything |
| Route-and-vessel package | Additional ship models travelling on scheduled routes | You want busier ports, coastlines and shipping lanes |
| Static harbour scenery | Moored boats placed at a particular marina or port | Local appearance matters more than moving traffic |
| Controllable watercraft | A boat selected and operated by the player | You want to drive a vessel rather than observe AI traffic |
How do I add more boat traffic on PC?
PC users can add MSFS boat traffic by extracting a compatible maritime package into the Community folder used by the simulator edition they actually launch.
- Confirm simulator compatibility. Check whether the package supports MSFS 2020, MSFS 2024 or both. Similar package structures do not make every older add-on compatible with MSFS 2024.
- Extract the download. Do not copy the compressed ZIP or other archive into Community. MSFS cannot load an add-on that remains inside its archive.
- Identify every required package folder. A loadable package normally has files such as
manifest.jsonandlayout.jsonat its top level. Some ship downloads contain separate model-library and route packages, both of which must be installed. - Avoid an extra folder level. The mistake we see most often is a structure such as
Community\ship-pack\ship-pack\manifest.json. Move the inner package folder into Community so the manifest is only one package level down. - Use the active Community folder. Its location depends on the PC distribution and any custom packages path. MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 can use different folders, so installing into the old edition’s folder will not affect the other simulator.
- Temporarily remove competing global packs. Multiple route packages can create duplicate ships, route conflicts or unnecessary processing around busy ports.
- Restart in normal mode. Community content is excluded when the simulator is running in Safe Mode, and newly copied packages should not be expected to load during an existing session.
- Enable maritime traffic. Set the relevant ship density above zero and follow the package author’s recommended value rather than automatically selecting maximum traffic.
For a free starting point, our worldwide MSFS ship package with more than 1,000 vessel models includes ferries, fishing boats, yachts and scheduled routes. Check its edition notes and installation instructions before copying the files.
Which MSFS maritime traffic settings should I use?
In MSFS 2020, the relevant settings are labelled Ships and Ferries and Leisure Boats. Menu organisation can vary in MSFS 2024, so use the settings search for terms such as ship, ferry or boat if the controls are not immediately visible.
Ships and Ferries generally governs larger route-based maritime traffic, while Leisure Boats controls smaller generic craft. Many global ship packages depend mainly on the former, but the package documentation takes priority. Start with a moderate value: combining maximum built-in density with a large route pack often produces clutter without improving realism.
Does global AI ship traffic work in MSFS 2024?
Global AI ship traffic can work in MSFS 2024, but the package should explicitly list MSFS 2024 compatibility or provide edition-specific installation instructions.
Both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 generate maritime traffic, yet compatibility with one edition does not guarantee compatibility with the other. An older package may load but still have broken routes, missing models or other behavioural problems. If an archive supplies separate 2020 and 2024 folders, install only the version intended for the simulator you use.
Do not share one Community-folder copy between the two editions unless the package documentation specifically supports that arrangement. Keeping their add-ons separate also makes troubleshooting much easier.
Can I add ship traffic on Xbox or PlayStation?
Console users cannot install ordinary Community-folder ship packages. They are limited to maritime products made available for their simulator and console through the in-simulator Marketplace.
MSFS 2020 is available on PC and Xbox but was never released for PlayStation. MSFS 2024 is available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro. Marketplace catalogues and product compatibility can differ between those platforms, so a free PC download should not be assumed to have an Xbox or PlayStation version.
Built-in Ships and Ferries and Leisure Boats settings remain the simplest console option. A Marketplace harbour may add static vessels without increasing moving traffic, so read the product description carefully before buying or installing it.
Why is my MSFS boat traffic not showing?
Missing MSFS boat traffic is most often caused by a zero density setting, the wrong Community folder, an extra nested folder or testing far away from the package’s shipping routes.
- Check both maritime controls: ships and ferries are usually separate from leisure boats, and raising one may not affect the other.
- Inspect the installed folder: its package files should be visible at the expected top level rather than hidden inside a duplicate wrapper folder.
- Install every dependency: copying route files without the accompanying vessel library can leave the simulator with schedules but no usable models.
- Test in the right place: use a major port, narrow shipping channel or documented route. Global packages do not distribute ships evenly across every ocean.
- Consider the schedule: route-based vessels may not pass a particular point at the exact simulator time chosen for the flight.
- Leave Safe Mode: it deliberately disables Community packages while diagnosing a crash or bad add-on.
- Disable other ship packages: test with one global traffic pack at a time before restoring local harbour scenery or vessel libraries.
- Verify the simulator edition: a package installed for MSFS 2020 will not appear in MSFS 2024 merely because both editions are installed on the same PC.
If those checks do not identify the fault, follow our more detailed MSFS 2024 AI traffic troubleshooting sequence to isolate settings, package and compatibility problems.
Will more boat traffic reduce FPS?
Large numbers of detailed ships can reduce performance, especially around major ports, coastal cities and scenery-heavy waterways. The effect depends on vessel complexity, visible traffic, other add-ons and the rest of the scene rather than boat traffic alone.
Reduce Ships and Ferries first if a global route pack causes stutters, then lower Leisure Boats if small craft remain excessive. Avoid stacking several worldwide traffic packages, and test performance from the same location and conditions after each change. Our traffic and FPS settings guide explains which controls to lower when busy traffic areas become CPU- or rendering-limited.
Is Microsoft Flight Simulator a boat simulator?
Microsoft Flight Simulator can display and, with a suitable add-on, operate boats, but its standard ship traffic is environmental AI rather than a full Microsoft boat simulator.
Ordinary traffic vessels cannot be taken over from the cockpit. A controllable boat must be installed as its own selectable vehicle, and its handling, camera support and water behaviour depend on how that add-on uses the simulator’s aircraft-oriented systems. Aircraft carriers are also separate products or scenery objects; increasing ship traffic will not create a usable carrier or moving flight deck.