GNSS Interference Complicates Navigation as Hormuz Shipping Disruption Deepens (March 2, 2026)
insidegnss.com

... Reports of widespread GNSS interference in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz region are coinciding with a sharp disruption in commercial shipping, turning the area into a real-world test of how resilient maritime navigation and monitoring are when satellite positioning becomes unreliable.

Over the last several days, maritime analytics providers have documented interference events affecting more than 1,000 ships in the Middle East Gulf, alongside a growing pattern of AIS anomalies and "dark" operations. At the same time, tanker and container traffic has slowed or stopped near the Strait of Hormuz, and leading war-risk insurers are withdrawing cover for the region.

The episode illustrates in practical terms what a contested RF environment means for ships that still rely heavily on satellite-derived position for navigation, tracking and compliance.

Interference profile: GPS jamming and AIS spoofing on a regional scale

Maritime intelligence firm Windward reports that more than 1,100 vessels experienced GPS and AIS interference across the Middle East Gulf within a single 24-hour period following the outbreak of hostilities between Iran, the United States and Israel.

Ships' reported positions were displaced onto airports, inland locations in Iran and the Gulf states, and even over a nuclear power plant, producing track histories that are clearly inconsistent with physical reality. ...