How to integrate Shipengine MCP with Mastra AI

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Introduction

This guide walks you through connecting Shipengine to Mastra AI using the Composio tool router. By the end, you'll have a working Shipengine agent that can generate shipping label for new order, track status of outgoing packages, validate customer address before shipping through natural language commands.

This guide will help you understand how to give your Mastra AI agent real control over a Shipengine account through Composio's Shipengine MCP server.

Before we dive in, let's take a quick look at the key ideas and tools involved.

Also integrate Shipengine with

TL;DR

Here's what you'll learn:
  • Set up your environment so Mastra, OpenAI, and Composio work together
  • Create a Tool Router session in Composio that exposes Shipengine tools
  • Connect Mastra's MCP client to the Composio generated MCP URL
  • Fetch Shipengine tool definitions and attach them as a toolset
  • Build a Mastra agent that can reason, call tools, and return structured results
  • Run an interactive CLI where you can chat with your Shipengine agent

What is Mastra AI?

Mastra AI is a TypeScript framework for building AI agents with tool support. It provides a clean API for creating agents that can use external services through MCP.

Key features include:

  • MCP Client: Built-in support for Model Context Protocol servers
  • Toolsets: Organize tools into logical groups
  • Step Callbacks: Monitor and debug agent execution
  • OpenAI Integration: Works with OpenAI models via @ai-sdk/openai

What is the Shipengine MCP server, and what's possible with it?

The Shipengine MCP server is an implementation of the Model Context Protocol that connects your AI agent and assistants like Claude, Cursor, etc directly to your Shipengine account. It provides structured and secure access to your shipping operations, so your agent can perform actions like generating shipping labels, tracking packages, validating addresses, and managing carrier integrations on your behalf.

  • Automated label creation and management: Instantly generate, purchase, and void shipping labels across multiple carriers, letting your agent streamline fulfillment without manual entry.
  • Real-time package tracking: Ask your agent to track shipments by carrier or tracking number to get up-to-date delivery statuses and shipment histories.
  • Address validation and correction: Have your agent validate and standardize shipment addresses to prevent delivery errors and reduce returns.
  • Carrier rate comparison: Enable your agent to fetch and compare real-time shipping rates from all connected carriers, helping you save on delivery costs.
  • Shipping manifest and batch processing: Let your agent generate manifests or process batches of shipments in a single command, making high-volume shipping fast and efficient.

Supported Tools & Triggers

Tools
Add Tag to ShipmentTool to add a tag to a shipment for organization and filtering.
Add to BatchTool to add shipments or rate IDs to an existing batch.
Cancel ShipmentTool to cancel a shipment by ID.
Connect LTL CarrierTool to connect an LTL carrier account to ShipEngine.
Connect Shipsurance AccountTool to connect a Shipsurance insurance account to ShipEngine.
Create Account ImageTool to create a new account image in ShipEngine.
Create Package TypeTool to create a custom package type definition in ShipEngine.
Create TagTool to create a new tag in ShipEngine.
Create Tag 2Tool to create a new tag for organizing shipments.
Create WarehouseTool to create a new warehouse.
Create WebhookTool to create a ShipEngine webhook.
Delete Account Image by IDTool to delete a ShipEngine account image by its ID.
Delete BatchTool to delete a batch by ID.
Delete PackageTool to delete a custom package type by ID.
Delete WarehouseTool to delete a warehouse from your ShipEngine account.
Delete WebhookTool to delete a ShipEngine webhook subscription.
Disconnect CarrierTool to disconnect a carrier account from ShipEngine.
Disconnect ShipsuranceTool to disconnect a Shipsurance insurance account from ShipEngine.
Download FileTool to download a file from ShipEngine.
Get Account Image by IDTool to retrieve account image settings by label image ID.
Get Batch by External IDTool to retrieve batch details using an external batch ID.
Get Batch by IDTool to retrieve detailed information about a specific batch by its ID.
Get Batch ErrorsTool to retrieve errors that occurred during batch processing.
Get Bulk RatesTool to get shipping rates for multiple shipments in a single request.
Get Insurance BalanceTool to retrieve the current Shipsurance insurance funds balance.
Get LTL Carrier Credential RequirementsTool to retrieve credential requirements for connecting an LTL carrier.
Get LTL Carrier FeaturesTool to retrieve features supported by an LTL carrier.
Get LTL Carrier OptionsTool to list available options/accessorials for an LTL carrier.
Get LTL Carrier PackagesTool to list available package/handling unit types for an LTL (Less Than Truckload) carrier.
Get LTL Carrier ServicesTool to list available services for an LTL carrier.
Get Package by IDTool to get details of a specific custom package type by ID.
Get Shipment by External IDTool to retrieve shipment details using an external shipment ID.
Get Shipment by IDTool to retrieve a shipment by ID.
Get Shipment RatesTool to retrieve shipping rates for an existing shipment.
Get Tracking InformationTool to retrieve tracking information for a shipment.
Get Warehouse by IDTool to retrieve details of a specific warehouse by ID.
Get Webhook by IDTool to retrieve details of a specific webhook by ID.
List Account ImagesTool to list all account images.
List Account SettingsTool to list all account settings for the ShipEngine account.
List Batches (v2)Tool to list all batches with comprehensive filtering options.
List Carrier Package TypesTool to list all available package types for a specific carrier.
List Labels (Extended)Tool to list all shipping labels with comprehensive filtering options.
List LTL CarriersTool to list all LTL (Less-Than-Truckload) carrier accounts connected to your ShipEngine account.
List Manifests (Advanced)Tool to list all manifests with optional filtering by warehouse and carrier.
List PackagesTool to list all package types.
List Scheduled PickupsTool to list all scheduled pickups with optional filters.
List Shipments (v2)Tool to list all shipments with optional filtering parameters.
List Tags (v2)Tool to list all tags in your account.
List WarehousesTool to list all warehouses.
List Webhook EventsRetrieve a list of available webhook event types supported by ShipEngine.
List WebhooksTool to list all webhooks configured on your account.
Parse AddressTool to parse unstructured address text and extract structured address components.
Process Batch LabelsTool to process a batch to create and purchase shipping labels for all shipments in the batch.
Remove From BatchTool to remove shipments or rate IDs from a batch.
Remove Tag from ShipmentTool to remove a tag from a shipment.
Start Tracking PackageTool to subscribe to tracking updates for a package via webhooks.
Stop Tracking PackageTool to unsubscribe from tracking updates for a package.
Track LTL ShipmentTool to track an LTL shipment using carrier code and PRO number.
Update Account Image By IDTool to update an account image by ID in ShipEngine.
Update LTL ConnectionTool to update LTL carrier connection credentials in ShipEngine.
Update Package TypeTool to update an existing custom package type definition.
Update ShipmentTool to update an existing shipment's details.
Update Shipments TagsTool to update tags on one or more shipments in bulk.
Update WarehouseTool to update an existing warehouse's details and address.
Update WebhookTool to update a ShipEngine webhook.
Validate AddressTool to validate and normalize shipping addresses.

What is the Composio tool router, and how does it fit here?

What is Composio SDK?

Composio's Composio SDK helps agents find the right tools for a task at runtime. You can plug in multiple toolkits (like Gmail, HubSpot, and GitHub), and the agent will identify the relevant app and action to complete multi-step workflows. This can reduce token usage and improve the reliability of tool calls. Read more here: Getting started with Composio SDK

The tool router generates a secure MCP URL that your agents can access to perform actions.

How the Composio SDK works

The Composio SDK follows a three-phase workflow:

  1. Discovery: Searches for tools matching your task and returns relevant toolkits with their details.
  2. Authentication: Checks for active connections. If missing, creates an auth config and returns a connection URL via Auth Link.
  3. Execution: Executes the action using the authenticated connection.

Step-by-step Guide

Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:
  • Node.js 18 or higher
  • A Composio account with an active API key
  • An OpenAI API key
  • Basic familiarity with TypeScript

Getting API Keys for OpenAI and Composio

OpenAI API Key
  • Go to the OpenAI dashboard and create an API key.
  • You need credits or a connected billing setup to use the models.
  • Store the key somewhere safe.
Composio API Key
  • Log in to the Composio dashboard.
  • Go to Settings and copy your API key.
  • This key lets your Mastra agent talk to Composio and reach Shipengine through MCP.

Install dependencies

bash
npm install @composio/core @mastra/core @mastra/mcp @ai-sdk/openai dotenv

Install the required packages.

What's happening:

  • @composio/core is the Composio SDK for creating MCP sessions
  • @mastra/core provides the Agent class
  • @mastra/mcp is Mastra's MCP client
  • @ai-sdk/openai is the model wrapper for OpenAI
  • dotenv loads environment variables from .env

Set up environment variables

bash
COMPOSIO_API_KEY=your_composio_api_key_here
COMPOSIO_USER_ID=your_user_id_here
OPENAI_API_KEY=your_openai_api_key_here

Create a .env file in your project root.

What's happening:

  • COMPOSIO_API_KEY authenticates your requests to Composio
  • COMPOSIO_USER_ID tells Composio which user this session belongs to
  • OPENAI_API_KEY lets the Mastra agent call OpenAI models

Import libraries and validate environment

typescript
import "dotenv/config";
import { openai } from "@ai-sdk/openai";
import { Agent } from "@mastra/core/agent";
import { MCPClient } from "@mastra/mcp";
import { Composio } from "@composio/core";
import * as readline from "readline";

import type { AiMessageType } from "@mastra/core/agent";

const openaiAPIKey = process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY;
const composioAPIKey = process.env.COMPOSIO_API_KEY;
const composioUserID = process.env.COMPOSIO_USER_ID;

if (!openaiAPIKey) throw new Error("OPENAI_API_KEY is not set");
if (!composioAPIKey) throw new Error("COMPOSIO_API_KEY is not set");
if (!composioUserID) throw new Error("COMPOSIO_USER_ID is not set");

const composio = new Composio({
  apiKey: composioAPIKey as string,
});
What's happening:
  • dotenv/config auto loads your .env so process.env.* is available
  • openai gives you a Mastra compatible model wrapper
  • Agent is the Mastra agent that will call tools and produce answers
  • MCPClient connects Mastra to your Composio MCP server
  • Composio is used to create a Tool Router session

Create a Tool Router session for Shipengine

typescript
async function main() {
  const session = await composio.create(
    composioUserID as string,
    {
      toolkits: ["shipengine"],
    },
  );

  const composioMCPUrl = session.mcp.url;
  console.log("Shipengine MCP URL:", composioMCPUrl);
What's happening:
  • create spins up a short-lived MCP HTTP endpoint for this user
  • The toolkits array contains "shipengine" for Shipengine access
  • session.mcp.url is the MCP URL that Mastra's MCPClient will connect to

Configure Mastra MCP client and fetch tools

typescript
const mcpClient = new MCPClient({
    id: composioUserID as string,
    servers: {
      nasdaq: {
        url: new URL(composioMCPUrl),
        requestInit: {
          headers: session.mcp.headers,
        },
      },
    },
    timeout: 30_000,
  });

console.log("Fetching MCP tools from Composio...");
const composioTools = await mcpClient.getTools();
console.log("Number of tools:", Object.keys(composioTools).length);
What's happening:
  • MCPClient takes an id for this client and a list of MCP servers
  • The headers property includes the x-api-key for authentication
  • getTools fetches the tool definitions exposed by the Shipengine toolkit

Create the Mastra agent

typescript
const agent = new Agent({
    name: "shipengine-mastra-agent",
    instructions: "You are an AI agent with Shipengine tools via Composio.",
    model: "openai/gpt-5",
  });
What's happening:
  • Agent is the core Mastra agent
  • name is just an identifier for logging and debugging
  • instructions guide the agent to use tools instead of only answering in natural language
  • model uses openai("gpt-5") to configure the underlying LLM

Set up interactive chat interface

typescript
let messages: AiMessageType[] = [];

console.log("Chat started! Type 'exit' or 'quit' to end.\n");

const rl = readline.createInterface({
  input: process.stdin,
  output: process.stdout,
  prompt: "> ",
});

rl.prompt();

rl.on("line", async (userInput: string) => {
  const trimmedInput = userInput.trim();

  if (["exit", "quit", "bye"].includes(trimmedInput.toLowerCase())) {
    console.log("\nGoodbye!");
    rl.close();
    process.exit(0);
  }

  if (!trimmedInput) {
    rl.prompt();
    return;
  }

  messages.push({
    id: crypto.randomUUID(),
    role: "user",
    content: trimmedInput,
  });

  console.log("\nAgent is thinking...\n");

  try {
    const response = await agent.generate(messages, {
      toolsets: {
        shipengine: composioTools,
      },
      maxSteps: 8,
    });

    const { text } = response;

    if (text && text.trim().length > 0) {
      console.log(`Agent: ${text}\n`);
        messages.push({
          id: crypto.randomUUID(),
          role: "assistant",
          content: text,
        });
      }
    } catch (error) {
      console.error("\nError:", error);
    }

    rl.prompt();
  });

  rl.on("close", async () => {
    console.log("\nSession ended.");
    await mcpClient.disconnect();
    process.exit(0);
  });
}

main().catch((err) => {
  console.error("Fatal error:", err);
  process.exit(1);
});
What's happening:
  • messages keeps the full conversation history in Mastra's expected format
  • agent.generate runs the agent with conversation history and Shipengine toolsets
  • maxSteps limits how many tool calls the agent can take in a single run
  • onStepFinish is a hook that prints intermediate steps for debugging

Complete Code

Here's the complete code to get you started with Shipengine and Mastra AI:

typescript
import "dotenv/config";
import { openai } from "@ai-sdk/openai";
import { Agent } from "@mastra/core/agent";
import { MCPClient } from "@mastra/mcp";
import { Composio } from "@composio/core";
import * as readline from "readline";

import type { AiMessageType } from "@mastra/core/agent";

const openaiAPIKey = process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY;
const composioAPIKey = process.env.COMPOSIO_API_KEY;
const composioUserID = process.env.COMPOSIO_USER_ID;

if (!openaiAPIKey) throw new Error("OPENAI_API_KEY is not set");
if (!composioAPIKey) throw new Error("COMPOSIO_API_KEY is not set");
if (!composioUserID) throw new Error("COMPOSIO_USER_ID is not set");

const composio = new Composio({ apiKey: composioAPIKey as string });

async function main() {
  const session = await composio.create(composioUserID as string, {
    toolkits: ["shipengine"],
  });

  const composioMCPUrl = session.mcp.url;

  const mcpClient = new MCPClient({
    id: composioUserID as string,
    servers: {
      shipengine: {
        url: new URL(composioMCPUrl),
        requestInit: {
          headers: session.mcp.headers,
        },
      },
    },
    timeout: 30_000,
  });

  const composioTools = await mcpClient.getTools();

  const agent = new Agent({
    name: "shipengine-mastra-agent",
    instructions: "You are an AI agent with Shipengine tools via Composio.",
    model: "openai/gpt-5",
  });

  let messages: AiMessageType[] = [];

  const rl = readline.createInterface({
    input: process.stdin,
    output: process.stdout,
    prompt: "> ",
  });

  rl.prompt();

  rl.on("line", async (input: string) => {
    const trimmed = input.trim();
    if (["exit", "quit"].includes(trimmed.toLowerCase())) {
      rl.close();
      return;
    }

    messages.push({ id: crypto.randomUUID(), role: "user", content: trimmed });

    const { text } = await agent.generate(messages, {
      toolsets: { shipengine: composioTools },
      maxSteps: 8,
    });

    if (text) {
      console.log(`Agent: ${text}\n`);
      messages.push({ id: crypto.randomUUID(), role: "assistant", content: text });
    }

    rl.prompt();
  });

  rl.on("close", async () => {
    await mcpClient.disconnect();
    process.exit(0);
  });
}

main();

Conclusion

You've built a Mastra AI agent that can interact with Shipengine through Composio's Tool Router. You can extend this further by:
  • Adding other toolkits like Gmail, Slack, or GitHub
  • Building a web-based chat interface around this agent
  • Using multiple MCP endpoints to enable cross-app workflows

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FAQ

What are the differences in Tool Router MCP and Shipengine MCP?

With a standalone Shipengine MCP server, the agents and LLMs can only access a fixed set of Shipengine tools tied to that server. However, with the Composio Tool Router, agents can dynamically load tools from Shipengine and many other apps based on the task at hand, all through a single MCP endpoint.

Can I use Tool Router MCP with Mastra AI?

Yes, you can. Mastra AI fully supports MCP integration. You get structured tool calling, message history handling, and model orchestration while Tool Router takes care of discovering and serving the right Shipengine tools.

Can I manage the permissions and scopes for Shipengine while using Tool Router?

Yes, absolutely. You can configure which Shipengine scopes and actions are allowed when connecting your account to Composio. You can also bring your own OAuth credentials or API configuration so you keep full control over what the agent can do.

How safe is my data with Composio Tool Router?

All sensitive data such as tokens, keys, and configuration is fully encrypted at rest and in transit. Composio is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant and follows strict security practices so your Shipengine data and credentials are handled as safely as possible.

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