- Nearly 1,000 Ships Affected by Jamming Since Israel-Iran Conflict.
- Tanker Collision South of Hormuz Raises Navigation Risks.
- Sister Ship Front Eagle Also Shows Spoofed Location.
The Front Tyne oil tanker was making its way through the Gulf, nestled between Iran and the United Arab Emirates, on Sunday when an issue occurred with its tracking systems. Just after 9:40 a.m., the ship-tracking data bizarrely placed the vessel in Russia, far from where it actually was. By 4:15 p.m., the signals had shifted to southern Iran, near Bidkhun, and continued to bounce around across the Gulf, reports Reuters.
Widespread Signal Disruption Affects Hundreds of Ships
As reported by Windward, a shipping analysis company, nearly 1,000 vessels in the Gulf have been facing signal disruptions since the Israel-Iran conflict began.
“There is usually no jamming in the Strait of Hormuz and now there is a lot,” said Ami Daniel, chief executive of Windward. “The culmination of all that is higher risk. It’s a hot area… if you don’t geolocate, there’s a bigger chance you’ll have an accident.”
Collision Reported Amid Rising Navigation Hazards
On Tuesday, two oil tankers collided south of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route. Both ships caught fire as a result. One of the vessels, the Front Eagle—sister ship to the Front Tyne—was also reported to have unusual tracking data, showing up onshore in Iran on June 15, according to information from Kpler.
AIS Jamming Compromises Ship Navigation
Ships depend on the Automatic Identification System (AIS), which works like a GPS transmitter to share their location, speed, and other important details. However, jamming interferes with these signals, significantly hindering their navigational abilities.
“The problem these days is that most ships use digitised systems, so if your GPS is jammed, then you have no real form of navigating other than by the seat of your pants,” said Jim Scorer, secretary general of the International Federation of Shipmasters’ Associations.
Spoofing vs. Jamming: Understanding the Threat
When a ship’s crew manipulates its AIS data intentionally, the act is called spoofing, often used to hide cargo or destinations. In contrast, jamming involves third-party interference, such as that observed in the Gulf. “If you don’t know where vessels are, you’re unable to target them,” said Dimitris Ampatzidis, analyst at Kpler.
Military Conflicts Spark Jamming Incidents Worldwide
Jamming isn’t just a problem in the Gulf. Analysts have observed similar occurrences in the Black Sea amid Russia’s offensive in Ukraine, the Taiwan Strait, Syrian waters, and near Israel. Just last month, several ships seemed to be stranded at Port Sudan due to signal disruptions.
Global Maritime Agencies Sound the Alarm
In March, the International Maritime Organisation, along with other UN agencies, released a statement emphasising the growing threat that jamming and spoofing pose to global navigation.
Sanctioned Tanker Caught Spoofing Near Temple
Earlier this year, the Xi Wang Mu, an oil tanker under U.S. sanctions, manipulated its location. According to maritime platform Lloyd’s List Intelligence, the vessel appeared to be docked at a Hindu temple in India during the signal tampering.
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Source: Reuters
