Windward’s latest report for the first quarter of 2025 indicates a significant increase in regulatory activity concerning sanctioned vessels and maritime companies, reports Safety4sea.
GPS Jamming
Analysis of AIS (Automatic Identification System) jamming incidents reveals a significant and concerning trend. The average distance that vessels appear to “jump” to when their AIS signal is jammed has dramatically increased from 600 kilometers in the fourth quarter of 2024 to an alarming 6,300 kilometers in the first quarter of 2025.
This substantial increase in the reported location of jammed vessels severely disrupts maritime trade and safety protocols. It renders the tracking of vessels within any geographically relevant area practically impossible.
Furthermore, Windward’s specialized GPS jamming detection team and models identified three new areas emerging as significant jamming hubs in the first quarter of 2025:
- Sudan in the Red Sea: The number of vessels affected by AIS jamming in this region surged from zero in Q4 2024 to over 180 vessels in Q1 2025.
- Djibouti in the Gulf of Aden: Similarly, Djibouti saw an increase from zero affected vessels in Q4 2024 to more than 30 affected vessels in Q1 2025.
- From the Black Sea to the Gulf of Guinea: This extensive corridor experienced a rise from zero affected vessels in Q4 2024 to over 120 affected vessels in Q1 2025.
These findings underscore a concerning escalation in AIS jamming activities across critical maritime regions, posing significant challenges to vessel tracking, safety, and the integrity of maritime data.
Tariff Impact
Tanker-driven trade: Experienced steady declines from late 2023, culminating in a sharp drop in March 2025. This is likely linked to shifts in energy-related policies and potentially oil tariffs.
Overall trade: A stable pattern throughout 2024 preceded a sudden drop in March 2025, with reduced tanker activity being the primary driver. This reduction is also potentially connected to oil tariffs.
Container and bulk flows: Following a buildup in late 2024 and early 2025, possibly due to front-loading in anticipation of expected tariffs, both container and bulk trade volumes decreased sharply in March 2025.
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Source: Safety4sea
