Yarden Gross, CEO and Co-founder of maritime technology company Orca AI, reflects on the recent tanker collision in the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that as GPS interference becomes more common, ships urgently need AI-based situational awareness to support crews and maintain safe navigation when traditional tools are compromised.
The recent collision between the tankers Front Eagle and the Adalynn in the Strait of Hormuz is more than a tragic incident – it’s a stark warning to the maritime industry. Both vessels were operating in an area reportedly impacted by intense satellite jamming and AIS spoofing in the days leading up to the crash. The Adalynn is allegedly part of the so-called ‘dark fleet’ — a loosely connected group of tankers that operate without AIS transponders, often to obscure their movements and evade sanctions. Meanwhile, the VLCC Front Eagle was apparently shown in vessel tracking data to be onshore in Iran two days before the collision, in a strong indication of GPS interference.
This event illustrates just how fragile maritime situational awareness has become in high-risk regions. The digital infrastructure we’ve long relied on – GPS, AIS and electronic charts – is increasingly vulnerable to manipulation, especially…