Space-based data firm Spire Global has introduced a new Dark Shipping Detection service to track vessels that manipulate their reported position in order to conceal their activities.
The system is designed to identify vessels that turn off Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders to go dark, or attempt ‘spoofing’ of AIS signals to report false positions.
Typically, this is done in order to hide activity that is illegal or could have negative consequences, such as illegal trading, loading or unloading sanctioned goods, or illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Spire says that its global geolocation position validation service, powered by its multipurpose constellation of more than 100 satellites, can uncover suspicious activity and pinpoint a vessel without the need for an approximate location, to identify and locate vessels that are involved in such behaviour.
“For a long time, having the tools to accurately identify and track ships that are attempting to hide their activities or location has been the missing key to preventing sanctions evasion, illegal fishing, human trafficking and many more pressing societal issues,” said Peter Mabson, CEO, Spire Maritime.
“Dark shipping detection builds on our breadth of maritime tracking solutions and underscores Spire’s mission to use data that can only be collected from space to improve life on Earth.”
