9 LMM V I S I O N ISSUE 22 | Q3 2025 ARTICLE The global maritime industry is confronting a clear and present danger: the weaponization of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). What was once a trusted utility is now a critical vulnerability, with jamming and spoofing attacks escalating from isolated incidents into a systemic crisis. The threat is no longer theoretical. In Q2 2025 alone over 10,000 vessels were impacted by GNSS interference, leveling an eightfold increase from the previous quarter. Critical chokepoints have become hotspots with nearly 1,000 ships per day experiencing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz alone. This has led to catastrophic outcomes, including the May 2025 grounding of the container ship MSC Antonia due to deliberate signal spoofing and the fatal June 2025 collision involving the tanker Front Eagle after its systems were paralyzed by jamming. The parallel with the aviation sector, which has seen a 500% spike in spoofing and fatal accidents linked to interference, provides a chilling forecast of the potential for further disaster. The financial repercussions are staggering! War risk premiums have surged adding over $1.2 million in cost to a single VLCC voyage through the Strait of Hormuz. The industry’s deepseated over-reliance on GNSS has created a single point of failure, compromising over a dozen critical bridge systems, from ECDIS to Autopilot with any single disruption. Survival in this new landscape demands a fundamental shift from passive compliance to proactive resilience. The solution is a multi-layered defense combining technology, training and procedure scheme. The industry must swiftly move to adopt multi-constellation, multi-frequency GNSS (L1-L5) receivers with built-in spoofing detection and invest in robust, independent backup Systems. In the long term, emerging technologies will offer a path to true resilience. However, technology alone is insufficient. The most powerful defense is a well-prepared bridge team. Companies must revive traditional navigation skills, mandating rigorous, continuous training in anti-Jam/Spoof identified technics. A culture of healthy skepticism towards electronic aids must be fostered, where constant cross-verification is standard operating procedure. High-fidelity simulation of jamming and spoofing scenarios should become a training cornerstone. Inaction is a decision with unacceptable risks. The adaptive shipping Industry will treat resilience as a competitive advantage, investing in a hardened fleet and skilled crew to ensure the safety and continuity of global trade in the face of navigational warfare. The time for response is now. Navigational warfare An executive summary of jam and spoof status Capt. Evangelos N. Trilivas Marine Superintendent The exponential growth in affected vessels underscores the urgency of the crisis. References ●● Maritime GNSS Interference Worldwide: A Cumulative Analysis 2025. ●● The economic impact on the UK of a disruption to GNSS. UK Government. ●● Middle East on the Precipice: GPS Jamming in the Arabian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz Disrupts 970 Ships Daily. ●● IATA Reports 500% Spike in GPS Spoofing Last Year.
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