Ship captains have been warning of GPS interference in the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports received on March 10 by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which operates a voluntary reporting scheme (VRS) for the Indian Ocean, specifically Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea.
UKMTO received corroborating reports from vessels experiencing GPS interference in the Strait of Hormuz.
The disruptions lasted several hours, affecting navigation systems and requiring vessels to rely on backup methods.
“Masters who experience disruption to electronic navigation systems (GPS / AIS / other PNT) anywhere within the UKMTO Voluntary Reporting Area (VRA) are requested to contact UKMTO watchkeepers,” UKMTO said in a statement on March 10.
The incident report, documented at 1830 UTC, underscores ongoing concerns about GPS interference in the region.
In 2019 the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration issued an advisory warning that vessels operating in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman may encounter “GPS interference, bridge-to-bridge communications spoofing, and/or other communications jamming with little to no warning.”
Meanwhile, GNSS interference has also become a growing challenge in the Baltic Sea, affecting maritime navigation, aviation, and critical infrastructure.
GPSPATRON reported that together with Gdynia Maritime University have established a scientific and technical collaboration aimed at systematically studying GNSS interference at ground level.
The study, conducted from June to November 2024, found that a total of 84 hours of GNSS interference was detected, confirming persistent disruptions in the region, primarily caused by jamming rather than spoofing.
October recorded the highest interference activity, with six major jamming incidents totalling 29 hours, highlighting an intensified interference pattern.
