{"id":82,"date":"2026-07-14T11:19:18","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T11:19:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/synmax.com\/maritime\/ship-to-ship-transfer-detection\/"},"modified":"2026-07-31T12:03:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T12:03:20","slug":"ship-to-ship-transfer-detection","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/synmax.com\/maritime\/platform\/ship-to-ship-transfer-detection\/","title":{"rendered":"Ship-to-Ship Transfer Detection"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Satellite<\/span>
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Maritime Capability<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ship-to-Ship Transfer Detection<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Detect vessel proximity events used to transfer cargo covertly, evade sanctions, or obscure origin, from satellite, whether or not AIS is broadcasting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Request a Demo<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Explore the Platform<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/svg>Scroll to explore<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n
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The Problem<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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When cargo changes hands at sea.<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Ship-to-ship transfers move cargo, typically crude oil or refined products, between vessels at sea without docking. Some operations are legitimate, but the practice has become the primary mechanism for sanctions evasion in maritime trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A sanctioned vessel transfers its cargo to a “clean” vessel at sea, which then proceeds to port as if the cargo came from a non-sanctioned source. The participants typically go dark or spoof their positions. When one or both disable AIS, conventional platforms see nothing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\"Ship-to-ship<\/span>
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How Theia Detects<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Detection that works regardless of AIS status.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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01 \/ Optical<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Optical STS Detection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Satellite imagery identifies vessel proximity events: two vessels alongside or in close formation, regardless of AIS status.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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02 \/ Correlate<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

AIS-Correlated Detection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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When both vessels broadcast AIS, Theia correlates position data to identify the event, its timing, duration, and participants.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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03 \/ Dark<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Dark STS Detection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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When one or both vessels disable AIS during a transfer, satellite-based detection identifies the event through imagery alone.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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04 \/ Classify<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Transfer Classification<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Theia separates legitimate bunkering from potentially illicit transfers using location, participant profiles, and sanctions status.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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By the Numbers<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

STS activity, quantified.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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143,401<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Optical STS events detected<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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331,227<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AIS STS events detected<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Global<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coverage of STS hotspots and open-ocean transfer zones<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Use Cases<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Where STS detection matters.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Sanctions Enforcement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Detect and document illicit cargo transfers used to circumvent oil sanctions, price caps, and trade restrictions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Insurance Claims Investigation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Identify STS events that affect cargo provenance, coverage validity, or claims integrity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Commodity Trading Verification<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Verify cargo origin and transfer history for crude oil, LNG, and refined product trades.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Environmental Monitoring<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Detect illegal bunkering and at-sea fuel transfers that pose environmental risk.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Related Capabilities<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

STS rarely happens in isolation.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Dark Fleet<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dark Vessel Detection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Many STS operations involve vessels that have gone dark.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\n
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Signal Integrity<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AIS Spoofing Detection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Spoofing is often used to disguise STS activity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\n
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Identity<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vessel Attribution<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Put a name to each participant in a covert transfer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Ship-to-ship transfers connect directly to the deception tactics Theia tracks across the maritime domain.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Get Started<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Monitor STS activity in real time.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Request a demonstration and see how Theia detects transfers that AIS-dependent platforms miss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Request a Demo<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Problem When cargo changes hands at sea. Ship-to-ship transfers move cargo, typically crude oil or refined products, between vessels at sea without docking. Some operations are legitimate, but the practice has become the primary mechanism for sanctions evasion in maritime trade. A sanctioned vessel transfers its cargo to a “clean” vessel at sea, which […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":7,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-82","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nShip-to-Ship Transfer Detection | SynMax Theia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Detect covert cargo transfers at sea, whether or not AIS is transmitting. 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