The practice of deceiving authorities through false identities or obscured vessel information dates back centuries, with mariners using natural flags and disguises as early as the 17th century.
As geopolitical tensions continue to escalate, vessel location tampering (GNSS manipulation) and GPS spoofing has become a maritime sector problem and can have serious implications.
From our own data, we have identified Beirut-Rafic Al Hariri International airport in Lebanon as a common hotspot, with over 30,000 spoofing incidents this year affecting both maritime and aviation operations for our clients.
AIS spoofing techniques have continued to progress, seen in actions by Iranian and North Korean vessels continuing to exploit AIS vulnerabilities, taking their methods to new levels and showcasing the sophisticated capabilities of criminals and sanction evaders.
However, while the advancement of technology aids unscrupulous actors to manipulate and impact maritime operations, technology can also help to mitigate and quickly manage these incidents as they occur.
Insurwave’s platform has the ability to provide this real-time context and regularly helps Insurers navigate these rough waters and manage the disruption through a digital-first approach to risk management.
Similarly, technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning AI algorithms can help combat the problem due to their enhanced pattern recognition and adaptive adjustment.
With technology platforms providing the real-time context needed to respond and manage these incidents as they occur and international cooperation continues, innovative solutions alongside regulation will help curb the impact spoofing can have, ensuring participants across the insurance value chain can continue their maritime operations safely.

Recent months have seen a dramatic spike in spoofing incidents, triggered by electronic warfare in conflict zones. These incidents of GPS jamming have surged in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, in which ships’ navigation data is manipulated or interfered with near conflict zones. But what is spoofing and how can technology help mitigate its impact?

Understanding spoofing in maritime context

The practice of deceiving authorities through false identities or obscured vessel information dates back centuries, with mariners using natural flags and disguises as early as the 17th century. Over time, spoofing has evolved alongside technological advancements to continue to be a problem for modern maritime activities.

Third-party spoofing that is caused by GPS jamming generally affects multiple vessels in a small area. It takes place via a third-party actor that broadcasts a powerful signal, which overrides information received from GPS satellites in orbit, thereby impacting vessel’s Automatic Identification System (AIS) data.

AIS positions tend to centre on singular areas such as airports, buildings, or in some cases the middle of nowhere. So, when a third-party actor broadcasts a powerful signal, overriding information received from GPS satellites in orbit, in spoofing incidents, the vessel or aircraft can appear to be in a completely different position to where it is. This practice can serve various purposes, such as making a political statement, evading sanctions, or for piracy. For example, a spoofed position can enable the perpetrators to appear to be carrying out legitimate operations while carrying out illicit activities.

While the practice of deceiving authorities through false identities or obscured vessel information is an age-old problem, spoofing has evolved with technological advancements, making it increasingly complex and difficult to combat.

It’s also important to note that not all instances of spoofing are illegal or problematic. However, when spoofing breaches established regulations, it’s a compliance violation that may lead to severe consequences for all involved parties.

Data from Kpler suggests that the top zones for AIS spoofing events include the United Arab Emirates with 14.7%, indicating significant involvement in transporting Iranian crude oil, Angola at 10.8%, primarily tied to Venezuelan crude for the receivers and Ukraine and Russia, with 7.8% and 3.9% respectively, are both involved in the illicit trade of Russian crude oil in the Black Sea.

In recent news, there have been several incidents of GPS interference recorded in the northern part of the Red Sea over the past several months, as well as cases documented outside Jazan, Saudi Arabia and near the Yemen border within the Red Sea. What implications does this have on maritime operations?

The Impact of spoofing on maritime operations

As geopolitical tensions continue to escalate, vessel location tampering (GNSS manipulation) and GPS spoofing has become a maritime sector problem and can have serious implications.

For maritime traffic, spoofed signals can lead ships astray, leading to collisions or groundings. Similarly, spoofed GPS can mislead drivers, disrupt emergency services, and even manipulate location-based security systems.

According to research by Windward AI, nearly 600 unique cases of vessel location tampering have been identified taking place globally in the last three years, with the majority (56%) occurring near Iran.

From our data, we have identified Beirut-Rafic Al Hariri International airport in Lebanon as a common hotspot, with over 30,000 spoofing incidents this year affecting both maritime and aviation operations for our clients. “Many of the recent reported examples in the maritime space show vessels reporting positions at the airport in Beirut, instead of at Haifa port in Israel”, commented Nick Evans, Director of Product Management at Insurwave.

“We're constantly looking at ways to correctly represent vessel positions for our clients, and we have released a new feature that can effectively detect and remove instances of spoofing from the platform.”