Ship in the Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea.
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The Finnish Coast Guard has reported a rise in ships moving through the Gulf of Finland with their automatic identification systems (AIS) turned off. The agency believes the trend is linked to efforts to bypass Russian sanctions.
According to Ilja Iljin, Deputy Commander of the Gulf of Finland Coast Guard District, AIS anomalies are now detected on a weekly basis.
“Before last summer, these cases were sporadic. Now, we estimate an average of 10 anomalies per week,” Iljin told Yle.
AIS is a tracking system that allows vessels to share their location with other ships and maritime authorities. It helps prevent collisions and enables monitoring of maritime traffic. When ships turn off their AIS, they become effectively invisible to standard tracking systems.
Iljin said there are likely two reasons for the increase. Some vessels may be deliberately concealing their routes to avoid scrutiny while engaging in activities that breach sanctions. Alternatively, disruptions in the radio frequencies used by AIS in the eastern Gulf of Finland could be preventing the system from transmitting signals.
Most of the ships with AIS anomalies are in international waters, meaning Finnish authorities have limited ability to intervene. In general, the responsibility for enforcement falls to the country under whose flag the ship is registered.
The Coast Guard has urged all vessels to remain vigilant while navigating the Gulf of Finland, warning that not all ships may be visible on electronic tracking systems.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
