Ais Tracking News

Iran seized a tanker with Iraqi crude destined for Turkey on Thursday in retaliation for the confiscation last year of the same vessel and its oil by the U.S., Iranian state media reported, a move likely to stoke regional tensions.The seizure of the Marshall Islands-flagged St Nikolas coincides with weeks of attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militias targeting Red Sea shipping routes."After the theft of Iranian oil by the United States last year, St Nikolas tanker was seized by Iran's Navy this morning with a judicial order ...

An oil tanker caught up in a dispute last year between the United States and Iran was boarded by armed individuals off the coast of Oman on Thursday and appeared to have changed course towards Iran, according to UK maritime sources.The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker St Nikolas was boarded by armed intruders as it sailed close to the Omani city of Sohar, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey, and its AIS tracking system was turned off as it headed in the direction…

Shipping companies should use caution when deploying private armed guards onboard vessels sailing through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden because of the risk of escalation amid growing attacks on ships, an industry advisory said on Friday.Yemen's Houthis have been attacking vessels in Red Sea shipping lanes in recent weeks and firing drones and missiles at Israel, saying they aim to support Palestinians as Islamist group Hamas and Israel wage war in Gaza.In an advisory issued on Friday by the shipping industry's leading associations, companies were urged to "complete a thorough risk assessment wh

Ships sailing for Israel face a 10-fold jump in war risk premiums as the conflict in Gaza intensifies, prompting industry calls for the government to help ensure vital imports keep coming.Israel has vowed to annihilate Islamist group Hamas after its fighters stormed through Israeli towns from Gaza on Oct. 7, killing 1,400 people and seizing more than 220 hostages.Israeli forces have hit back with deadly air strikes and now a ground offensive on the narrow coastal strip, with growing fears the conflict could escalate and pull in the whole region.Israel…

An ailing mariner was medevaced from a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier anchored off Corpus Christi, Texas, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi command center watchstanders received a medevac request at 1:03 p.m. Friday from the agent of the 260.4-meter Richard Oldendorff off Port Aransas, Texas, stating a crewmember was suffering from a possible leg infection. Watchstanders consulted with the duty flight surgeon, who recommended a medevac.The Coast Guard Cutter Pelican and a Coast Guard Station Port Aransas 45-foot Response Boat–Medium crew diverted to assist.The Pelican crew took aboard the crewmember and transferred him to the RB–M once it arrived on scene.

Boarders have left a tanker that maritime sources had said was seized off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and the vessel is safe, Britain's maritime trade agency reported on Wednesday.Three maritime security forces had told Reuters on Tuesday that the asphalt/bitumen tanker Asphalt Princess had been seized by suspected Iranian-backed forces, which Iran denied.The AIS tracking status of the Panama-flagged Asphalt Princess was "Underway Using Engine" early on Wednesday, according…

A non-piracy incident is under way off the coast of the United Arab Emirates' Fujairah, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on Tuesday.The UKMTO warning notice, based on a third party source, advised vessels to exercise extreme caution in the area, around 61 nautical miles east of the emirate of Fujairah.UKTMO provided no details regarding the vessel or vessels involved.However on Tuesday afternoon a Singapore-flagged chemical tanker in roughly the same position off Fujairah named Golden Brilliant updated its AIS tracking status to "Not Under Command"…

Eagle Bulk Shipping confirmed reports that one of its bulk carriers was hijacked in the Gulf of Guinea, and said the vessel and crew are safe now that the incident has been resolved. Maritime security groups had reported that the Marshall Islands-flagged Rowayton Eagle was boarded by pirates off the coast of Nigeria, and AIS tracking suggests the vessel had been adrift since January 27."As you may have read in the press, the M/V Rowayton Eagle was hijacked about 240 miles southeast of Lagos (Nigeria). We are very pleased to report that the incident has been resolved and our crew are safe and unharmed, and the vessel is fully operational," Eagle Bulk wrote in a social media post on Monday.

Maritime security intelligence agencies have reported that the Water Phoenix reefer vessel was boarded Tuesday morning off Nigeria by an unknown number of persons and that two Russian nationals have been kidnapped.Per Praesidium International, a risk consultancy and maritime security company, the incident happened at 5:50 a.m. UTC Tuesday, approximately 34 nautical miles south of Lagos."According to the initial reports, the perpetrators managed to board the vessel and kidnap the master and another crew member, both Russian," Praesidium said, adding that the crew includes 18 seafarers, of which seven Russians and 11 Filipinos. Apart from the two crewmembers who have…

Iran is running short of options to replace its ageing fleet of tankers and keep oil exports flowing because renewed U.S. sanctions are making potential sellers and flag registries wary of doing business with Tehran, Western and Iranian sources said.Since U.S. President Donald Trump reimposed sanctions in November, exploratory talks with South Korea for up to 10 new supertankers have stalled and Panama has also removed at least 21 Iranian tankers from its registry forcing Tehran to put the vessels under its own flag…

The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has published a new edition of ADMIRALTY Ocean Passages for the World (NP136). First published in 1895, this publication is designed to support mariners in the planning of deep sea voyages along major trade routes, with details of weather, currents, ice hazards and other environmental features that may be met in transit. The UKHO has completely changed the way that routes are represented in response to user feedback, introducing route diagrams alongside tabulated waypoint and route data to help mariners find key information quickly. Following in-depth analysis of AIS tracking data, the UKHO has also identified the world’s busiest trade routes for inclusion in the new edition…

Satellite AIS data services provider exactEarth Ltd. announced that its exactTrax small vessel monitoring technology is now incorporated into Alltek Marine Electronic Corp’s (AMEC) AIS Tracking Beacon (TB560). The AMEC TB560 is a simplified Class B AIS device that offers an efficient and cost-effective vessel monitoring solution within AIS VHF transmission range. Now outfitted with exactTrax technology from exactEarth, which extends small vessel tracking beyond traditional coastal surveillance, the AMEC TB560 can reliably be detected from space. exactTrax allows for the secure transmission and reliable detection of signals from the millions of artisanal and small-scale commercial fishing boats and small commercial work boats currently operating around the world.

Just in time for Nor-Shipping, DNV GL will launch the LNG Fuel Finder - a new tool on its LNG business intelligence portal LNGi. The new LNG Fuel Finder service will allow shipowners and charterers to register their interest in using LNG as a ship fuel free of charge, connecting them directly with LNG suppliers. DNV GL has also introduced the option of signing up to a new lean version, where interested parties can access some of LNGi’s services and data free of charge. The question of bunkering availability is still a major stumbling block for shipowners looking to make their first moves in LNG as a marine fuel. Information can be hard to find, and it remains challenging to keep track of new developments.

Is the Limitation of Liability Act Still Relevant? In the aftermath of the El Faro disaster, that vessel’s owners exercised their right to file a petition to limit their liability in accordance with the U.S. Shipowner’s Limitation of Liability Act, 46 USC §30501, et seq. This evoked negative press and social media reaction with a now-familiar refrain: Why should a shipowner escape full liability for a disaster by hiding behind a 19th-century (i.e., outdated, antique, ancient) statute?

What are the best options for securing remote connections on ship and offshore systems? Which operational technology on board is most vulnerable to cyber-attacks? DNV GL has published a Recommended Practice (RP) on “Cyber Security Resilience Management” to help the industry address potential cyber hazards. Developed in cooperation with customers, the RP provides guidance on risk assessment, general improvements to cyber security, and the verification of security improvements and management systems. “With ships and mobile offshore units becoming increasingly reliant on software-dependent systems, cyber security is an important operational and safety issue for the maritime world…

The United Nations Security Council Libya sanctions committee blacklisted on Wednesday an Indian-flagged tanker carrying crude oil shipped by the rival eastern Libya government, said diplomats, which would prevent it from entering any ports. Libyan U.N. Ambassador Ibrahim Dabbashi wrote to the 15-member sanctions committee on Monday asking for the Distya Ameya tanker to be blacklisted, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The ship left Marsa el-Hariga port late on Monday. Diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the sanctions committee chair had informed them that there were no objections to the Dabbashi's request before a 3 p.m. (1900 GMT) Wednesday deadline so the ship was added to the sanctions list.

A government based in eastern Libya has shipped its first cargo of crude in defiance of authorities in the capital Tripoli, a bold move that could deepen the divisions that have brought chaos since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi. The Tripoli authorities asked the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday to blacklist the India-flagged tanker Distya Ameya, which left the eastern Libyan port of Hariga overnight carrying oil they said could not be lawfully sold. The eastern government has set up its own National Oil Company (NOC) to act in parallel to the Tripoli-based NOC that is recognised internationally as the only legitimate seller of Libyan oil. The tanker departed Hariga carrying 650,000 barrels of crude late on Monday and was bound for Malta, a spokesman for the eastern NOC said.

A new name has joined the vessel tracking sector with a product that promises to set new standards in functionality and user-friendliness. BigOceanData is the new brand from Globavista, the professional vessel tracking and monitoring provider trusted by industry professionals and government agencies alike. BigOceanData is a completely new service designed to meet the needs of today’s maritime sector: a web-based, full function, premium service that will meet the needs of the industry, all at a highly competitive price. screen shotBigOceanData is a completely new platform that has been under development for more than 12 months. Accessed via a web browser…

New version of Transas FleetViewOnline (FVO) Tracking service 3.10 is launched with a new AIS Tracking feature available for free. AIS Tracking feature in demo mode is available for free for Transas FVO users. As soon as your vessel appears in area covered by AISHUB service you can receive additional AIS DPRs generated by AIS installed on board. AIS and Satellite position reports may be integrated into one track or presented separately. With enabled AIS tracking option you might use FVO zone alarms much more effectively to warn your staff or to trigger ship agents activity in due time.

AWT Launches First Service Using Global Automatic Identification System for Accurate Vessel Monitoring. AWT Global AIS Service Expands Coverage to Include Terrestrial Data and Satellite Data. SUNNYVALE, Calif., September 13, 2011 – Applied Weather Technology, Inc. (AWT) today announced the launch of its global Automatic Identification System (AIS) service, AWT Global AIS. AWT is the first in its market to provide this innovative service, using satellite data to more accurately monitor vessels beyond coastal regions on a global scale.

The Transportation Research Board of the National Academies issued a notice stating that its Special Report 293 – “Risk of Vessels Accidents and Spills in the Aleutian Islands: Designing a Comprehensive Risk Assessment” has been published. The report recommends that a structured risk assessment be performed in two phases: (1) a preliminary risk assessment; and (2) a focused risk assessment. In the interim, it recommends: (a) that the Coast Guard expand the AIS tracking network along the Aleutian chain and covering the southern North Pacific Great Circle Route; (b) that the Coast Guard and the State of Alaska investigate funding and mechanisms for possible stationing of an Aleutian recue tug…

McMurdo Group was launched today as a new global company in end-to-end search and rescue (SAR) and maritime domain awareness (MDA) solutions. Comprised of Orolia’s former Positioning, Tracking and Monitoring Division, McMurdo Group combines Boatracs, Kannad, McMurdo and Techno-Sciences, Inc. into the industry’s first, single-vendor provider of end-to-end lifesaving and tracking solutions including distress beacons, satellite connectivity infrastructure, monitoring/positioning software and emergency response management. “The formation of McMurdo Group is far more just than a corporate realignment. It is an opportunity to lead, simplify and educate a fragmented…

Maritime tracking AIS facility MarineTraffic has opened up its satellite-AIS service in the search area relevant to the missing MH370 airliner. Following requests from numerous agencies and individuals, this usually paid-for service has now been made available to any user free of charge. MarineTraffic Managing Director, Demitris Memos said, “Like most people around the world, we have taken an active interest in the search for this aircraft. With the battery life of the black box apparently nearing exhaustion, it is clearly necessary for everyone to do what they can to assist. The Australian operations center will also have access to the facility to help them build a more comprehensive picture of non-search vessels transiting the area.