GPS World

Tag: Satellite Automatic Identification System

  • Baltic and North Sea states warn of safety risks from GNSS interference

    Baltic and North Sea states warn of safety risks from GNSS interference

    The Coastal States of the Baltic Sea and the North Sea have published an open letter to the international maritime community insisting on the protection of GNSS-based navigtion. The countries point the finger squarely at the Russian Federation for causing disruption in both critical navigation and timing services for sea vessels.

    “Modern maritime transport is fundamentally built on the reliability of satellite-based navigation,” reads the letter. “For over three decades, global shipping has advanced by developing vessel operations to increasingly depend on the position, timing and navigation data provided by satellite systems. This shift has brought great efficiency but has also created a new dependency.

    The letter highlights the importance of GNSS as a critical safety requirement, not only ship navigation but also precise time synchronization vital for systems such as the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS).

    Risks to the Automatic Identification System

    Another GNSS service, the Automatic Identification System (AIS), plays a key role in traffic coordination, situational awareness and emergency response. “Spoofing or falsifying AIS data undermines maritime safety and security, increases the risk of accidents, and severely hampers rescue operations,” the letter states.

    “We are now facing new emerging safety situations due to growing GNSS interference in European waters, particularly in the Baltic Sea region. These disturbances, originating from the Russian Federation, degrade the safety of international shipping. All vessels are at risk.”

    The countries ask for cooperation developing alternative terrestrial radionavigation systems as a GNSS backup. They also want vessels crews properly trained to operate safely during navigation system outages.

    “Maintaining trust in maritime navigation requires more than technology – it demands responsibility, transparency, and decisive action,” the letter states. “We must ensure that our seas remain safe, including when systems fail or face disturbances.”

    The signatories include:

    • Belgium
    • Denmark
    • Estonia
    • Finland
    • France
    • Germany
    • Iceland
    • Latvia
    • Lithuania
    • The Netherlands
    • Norway
    • Poland
    • Sweden
    • The United Kingdom
  • Maritime agency warns of AIS jamming in Red Sea region, ICAO condemns Russia and North Korea

    Maritime agency warns of AIS jamming in Red Sea region, ICAO condemns Russia and North Korea

    The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has issued an advisory following a surge in reports of interference affecting GNSS and Automatic Identification System (AIS) displays. The disruptions, which began Oct. 3, are concentrated around Bandar-e-Pars (Iran), the Strait of Hormuz and Port Sudan.

    “UKMTO has received numerous reports of GNSS interference from vessels in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, between October 3 and 7,” the operations centre said in the alert. “This is a significant increase of reports compared with the same period in the previous week.”

    UKMTO urged vessels to exercise heightened caution. Ships in the Gulf, Port Sudan, and Suez Canal areas are experiencing consistent AIS speed anomalies, further complicating navigation.

    Russia and North Korea named as culprits

    Also this week, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly issued two resolutions condeming Russia and North Korea for recurring incidents of GNSS interference, citing the intentional interference as infractions of the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation. The agency urgently called upon both countries to comply strictly with their obligations under the convention.

    The assembly also deplored the fact that incidents of GNSS interference originating from the two countries have continued despite concerns repeatedly expressed by the ICAO Council about the harmful impact of GNSS interference on the safety and security of international civil aviation. 

    Photo: ICAO
    Photo: ICAO

    The assembly reiterated the paramount importance of preserving the safety and security of international civil aviation through strict compliance with the principles enshrined in the Chicago Convention and its Annexes. It also recalled Assembly Resolution A41-8, which recognized that the spectrum used by GNSS should be free from harmful interference and urged countries to refrain from any form of jamming or spoofing affecting civil aviation.

    The resolutions were issued as the ICAO triennial assembly in Montreal concluded on Oct. 5.

  • Harris, exactEarth Form Alliance for Global Maritime Tracking

    exactEarth Ltd. and Harris Corporation have formed an alliance to provide a new level of Satellite Automatic Identification System (AIS) data service that will deliver real-time global coverage for maritime vessel tracking. The new service will leverage the persistent global coverage and real-time connectivity of the Iridium NEXT constellation through the implementation of 58 hosted payloads covering the Maritime VHF frequency band.

    Harris is a space, geospatial and remote sensing company, and exactEarth is a provider of AIS data services.

    Compatibility testing of the hosted payload with the Iridium satellites has been completed. The first launch is scheduled for early 2016, with the completed constellation expected in 2017. The new service will provide customers with the fastest, most accurate vessel information available. With revisit times and latency under one minute, the service expansion represents a leap forward in the ability for both Harris and exactEarth to offer global ship tracking and maritime information solutions, the companies said in a statement.

    The alliance leverages exactEarth’s proven and patented signal de-collision detection technology and Harris’ expertise in satellite hosted payloads, advanced radio frequency technology and antenna solutions. Harris becomes the exclusive provider to the US government of AIS products and services produced under the alliance, including exactEarth’s exactAIS product portfolio, while exactEarth continues to serve all other global markets.

    “This alliance will expand our IntelliEarth family of innovative solutions, which leverage Harris’ world-class remote sensing capabilities to help customers around the globe make smarter operational and business decisions,” said Bill Gattle, vice president and general manager, National Programs, Harris Government Communications Systems. “Harris is committed to exploring new technologies and partnering with world-leading organizations to provide our customers with the greatest value.” 

    “As the recognized Satellite AIS industry leader, this announcement further strengthens our commitment to provide best-in-class maritime intelligence solutions to our customers worldwide,” said Peter Mabson, Ppresident of exactEarth.  “We are thrilled to be able to offer the shortest revisit times and lowest latency for developing true maritime domain awareness. This partnership with Harris will allow us to significantly expand the range of advanced value-added services and information solutions that we can bring to the global maritime market.”