German shipping companies are reporting a significant surge in suspected deliberate disruptions to the navigation systems of their vessels in the Baltic Sea.
Martin Kröger, CEO of the German Shipowners’ Association, told “Der Spiegel” that the number of hybrid attacks on commercial shipping is noticeably increasing, presenting a substantial safety challenge for shipping companies. Member companies are now reporting incidents “almost daily”. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, there has been a “clear increase” even within German waters. Establishing the origin of these attacks remains difficult.
These attacks involve both the use of jammers and cyberattacks targeting GPS and AIS (Automatic Identification System) navigation systems. AIS transmits a vessel’s position, course and speed to other ships. Manipulations and failures of these systems can render navigation data unreliable, potentially making ships invisible to others.
Kröger warns of the risk of grounding or collisions, stating that even if a vessel’s own navigation system remains functional, manipulation of other ships’ systems can lead to dangerous misjudgments. While the attacks cannot be completely prevented through technological means, Kröger emphasizes that shipping companies must now increasingly rely on alternative navigation methods such as radar, compasses and visual bearings to prevent accidents. He fears the situation could further escalate.