GPS Disruption in the Middle East: A Maritime Crisis

In the wake of the U.S.-Israeli military actions against Iran on February 28, 2025, over 1,100 ships in the Middle East experienced significant disruptions to their Global Positioning System (GPS) and Automatic Identification System (AIS) capabilities. This interference, which occurred within a 24-hour period, has raised serious concerns regarding navigation safety and the potential for maritime accidents. The maritime AI company Windward reported that the jamming of signals caused vessels to display false locations, sometimes showing them on land or near sensitive sites like airports and nuclear power plants.

The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)The Straits Times

Experts attribute the GPS disruptions to both jamming and spoofing techniques. Jamming involves overpowering legitimate GPS signals with stronger signals from ground-based transmitters, while spoofing manipulates AIS data, causing vessels to report incorrect positions. Dimitris Ampatzidis, a senior analyst at Kpler, noted that around half of the vessels in the Gulf and Gulf of Oman were affected, primarily located off the coasts of the United Arab Emirates and Oman. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that many ships rely solely on outdated GPS technology, limiting their ability to switch to alternative systems like BeiDou or Galileo.

The Straits TimesThe Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)

The inability to accurately determine location poses significant risks for maritime navigation. A merchant marine captain highlighted that crews must revert to using 20th-century navigation tools such as radar and visible landmarks, which are inadequate for modern shipping needs. Katherine Dunn, an expert on GPS technology, emphasized that GPS signals are crucial not only for location but also for powering onboard systems like clocks and speed logs. The disruption has forced Gulf states to implement defensive jamming measures to protect against potential drone strikes, despite the collateral impact on their own maritime traffic.

The Straits Times

Critics have raised alarms about the safety implications of such widespread GPS interference. Windward's analysis indicates that the jamming is not merely incidental but appears to be a coordinated effort by neighboring countries to mitigate threats from Iran. Ramsey Faragher, chief executive of the Royal Institute of Navigation, expressed concern over the intentional nature of the interference, warning that it creates serious safety risks, including increased collision hazards and misleading alerts about vessel movements.

The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)

In response to the situation, maritime experts and analysts have called for urgent measures to address the vulnerabilities in maritime navigation systems. There are ongoing discussions about developing alternative navigation technologies that utilize Earth’s magnetic field or inertial navigation systems, but these solutions are still in the early stages of development.

The Straits Times

While Windward reported over 1,100 ships affected, other sources, including Lloyd's, indicated that approximately 600 cargo ships were impacted off the UAE alone. The discrepancy in numbers highlights the need for further investigation into the extent and implications of the GPS disruptions in the region.

The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)

• “This is widespread, intentional interference that creates serious safety risks, including higher collision risk and false alerts about where ships are and what they’re doing,” — Windward Analysis

The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)

• “Given the size of the ships, electronic assistance has become necessary to steer them,” — Merchant Marine Captain

The Straits Times

• “What’s changed now is the intensity and geographic spread of the jamming in the Gulf in a very short period,” — Windward Analysis

The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)