SOLICITORS

  Image credits: image generated by IA Ghost Ships and Temple Tankers: The Rising Threat of AIS Spoofing in Global Shipping Over the past year, Lloyd’s List has observed a strange and alarming pattern across global maritime data systems. Massive oil tankers have reportedly “called” at remote Hindu temples situated hundreds of meters above sea level. Serious marine congestion has been recorded—implausibly—near landlocked areas such as St. Petersburg’s airport. Vessels long since scrapped or sunk have reappeared as if resurrected from the depths. These aren’t stories from a science fiction novel—they’re real events caused by a growing menace: AIS spoofing . The Automatic Identification System (AIS), originally developed to improve maritime safety, has become a tool vulnerable to manipulation. Spoofing—where false GPS or identity signals are broadcast to deceive tracking systems—has escalated in scale, frequency, and sophistication. While often dismissed as technical oddities or local...