Does manipulating AIS data help ships avoid Houthi attacks?
Gabriel Fuentes: Shipping companies face a costly dilemma in the Red Sea. Houthi attacks mean vessels passing through the Suez Canal risk being hit with ballistic missiles. The alternative is to go around the Cape of Good Hope, adding more than 8,000 nautical miles to the journey.
We have noticed a decline in AIS signals in the area, which could be for a couple of reasons. Vessels may be choosing to avoid the route entirely, or they may still be navigating the Red Sea with their equipment turned off to try and avoid being targeted, Gabriel Fuentes writes.
His feature article Does manipulating AIS data help ships avoid Houthi attacks? was published in Hellenic Shipping News on 6 April, 2024.