{
  "id": 11163591,
  "title": "How to Track Dark Vessels When AIS Goes Silent",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/how-to-track-dark-vessels-when-ais-goes-silent",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-01T10:00:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hellenic Shipping News",
    "slug": "hellenic-shipping-news",
    "url": "https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/how-to-track-dark-vessels-when-ais-goes-silent/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the second quarter of 2026, the number of cargo ships and tankers over 10,000 DWT that went dark increased nearly fivefold, from 449 in Q1 to 2,157. Prolonged dark events, lasting three days or more, rose sevenfold to 3,137. Russia reported around 4,000 dark activity events during the quarter. The Strait of Hormuz exemplified the impact at chokepoint scale, with AIS-visible transits dropping 83% from a pre-conflict baseline of roughly 3,750 a month to just 450.\n\nAIS, or Automatic Identification System, is a cooperative signal that provides a vessel's location when it chooses to transmit. When AIS goes silent, it creates gaps in the data that can indicate deliberate actions. Various reasons exist for vessels going dark, such as avoiding sanctions, navigating through contested chokepoints, or to prevent detection in illegal activities.\n\nTo track a dark vessel, analysts should consider behavior rather than relying solely on the sensor. The last transmission provides position, heading, and speed, along with factors like draft, cargo type, declared destination, and previous route history. Windward's Maritime AI™ assesses each gap against each vessel's activity baselines, producing a more accurate search area and priority.\n\nSynthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) plays a crucial role in detecting vessels that are not transmitting AIS. SAR detects hulls regardless of cloud cover, darkness, or whether the transponder is on. By correlating SAR detections against AIS data, analysts can filter out reported vessels and identify unreported contacts. Correlating SAR imagery with AIS records helps trace dark voyages back to their origins. For example, a sanctioned VLCC left a terminal east of Hormuz on March 8, 2026, and stayed dark on AIS for 15+ days before reappearing on radar and SAR imagery.\n\nRadio Frequency (RF) intelligence also assists in tracking dark vessels. By detecting and geolocating navigation radar and communications equipment, RF confirms the presence of a vessel without identifying which ship it is. Combining RF with SAR provides a comprehensive view of dark vessels. When AIS data is compromised or unavailable, EO imagery can identify specific vessels by resolving down to 30 centimeters, allowing analysts to distinguish one ship from another.\n\nIn August 2026, an OFAC-sanctioned tanker entered Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) after staying dark for nearly two weeks. EO imagery captured the vessel in the area, while SAR placed it directly on the damaged subsea cable route. This case demonstrates that vessels can still be tracked even when AIS is silent, providing valuable information for monitoring and enforcement efforts.",
  "summary": "2,157 cargo ships and tankers over 10,000 DWT went dark in Q2 2026, nearly five times the 449 recorded in Q1. Prolonged dark events, three days or longer, rose sevenfold to 3,137. Russia alone recorded roughly 4,000 dark activity events in the quarter. The Gap Is Now the Norm 2,157 cargo ships and tankers over ...",
  "key_points": [
    "Cargo ships and tankers went dark nearly five times more in Q2 2026.",
    "Russia reported 4,000 dark activity events during the quarter.",
    "SAR detects vessels regardless of AIS status, aiding in tracking dark voyages."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}