The Risk & Compliance (R&C) product is an international risk assessment and data management tool built on cargo data and real-time AIS ship tracking, complemented by satellite imagery intelligence. It aggregates and analyzes a wide range of risk signals, including regulatory, management, operational, and flag-related events, that may indicate concerns during vessel due diligence. By surfacing these risks in a structured and timely way, the platform helps protect key stakeholders, such as insurers, charterers, brokers, and shipowners, from exposure to suspect vessel activity.

In this guide, we explain how our Risk & Compliance solution works, providing a clear overview of its design, core capabilities, regulatory risk coverage, and the data sources it integrates.

Risk & Compliance consists of two core components: 1) the Compliance Workspace and 2) the Compliance Tab. It also includes the Insights widget, which allows users to quickly access compliance-related articles published by our analysts, as well as the ability to generate an official Compliance Report in PDF.

The Compliance Workspace serves as a centralized environment that provides a comprehensive view of the compliance and risk status of vessels. In this updated version, users can filter and monitor vessels across a wide range of compliance-related criteria, making it easier to assess and manage risks across an entire portfolio.

Within the Workspace, you can access detailed vessel information, including Current Risk Status, Age, Flag, Beneficial Owner, Commercial Manager, Registered Owner, and ISM Manager. This enables a more proactive and structured approach to ongoing compliance monitoring.

It's important to note that:

To access the Compliance Workspace:

Enhanced filtering capabilities allow users to streamline the search for specific vessels based on compliance-related factors, enabling more targeted queries, improved control over compliance data, and a holistic view of potential risks across an entire fleet.

The filtering options include:

In the Compliance Tab on the Vessel Details Page, you can access the full set of compliance intelligence and risk events associated with the vessel, enabling a comprehensive 360° risk assessment.

The events are grouped into 4 risk categories:

Within the Compliance Workspace, you can also access the Insights tab, which provides curated compliance-related maritime intelligence and news content. This includes:

Users can generate an official Compliance Report directly from the Compliance Tab on each vessel’s dedicated page in MarineTraffic. This feature enables the creation of vessel-specific reports that provide a complete overview of the vessel’s compliance status.

Each report includes key information such as general vessel data, sanctions exposure, ownership and management details, operational insights, and flag-related risks, offering a concise and actionable snapshot of the vessel’s overall compliance profile.

To download the report, open the vessel’s page, navigate to the Compliance tab, and click the blue “Compliance Report” button located in the upper-right corner.

The R&C solution covers the active IMO vessels across the full global fleet.

The Compliance tab displays data for the full available history starting from 1 January 2022. You can also switch to a 30-day view, which shows only the active risks during that period.

To keep our info accurate and up-to-date, we use the following sources.

All Risk & Compliance data is updated multiple times per day as part of a regular platform-wide refresh cycle, which runs six times daily at four-hour intervals starting at 00:30 UTC.
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The underlying sanctioned vessel & ownership data is updated twice daily, reflecting the relatively lower frequency of changes to official sanctions lists compared to other risk categories.
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Where a sanctions-related risk is identified, we provide the relevant sanctioning authority, the applicable regulation, and the date on which the sanction was imposed or lifted, enabling users to understand both the current sanctions status and the regulatory basis behind it.
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Please note that data sources used within the Risk & Compliance framework have different refresh cadences: some are updated daily, while others are updated on a scheduled basis depending on the publishing frequency of the respective authority or provider.

When you look at a vessel's panel, you'll see a Risk Indicator that tells you if there's any risk related to that vessel.

The risk indicator is computed based on the following risks, considering the full history of the vessel:

A vessel shall be considered as part of the Shadow fleet if a vessel has loaded cargo with restrictions and at least one of these conditions is met:

A vessel shall be considered as part of the Sanctioned fleet if a vessel is sanctioned or has sanctioned ownership.

We give you detailed info about whether a vessel is sanctioned or not. We also provide links to the original sources for more info.

Criteria for Status:

We identify when a vessel has transported cargo subject to regulatory risk based on origin, commodity type, and the applicable regulatory framework at the time of loading.

Risk classification is determined dynamically using the combination of:

This ensures alignment with regulatory developments, waivers, license periods, and changes in enforcement practices.

We cover different types of cargo and provide details on specific grades:

Crude oil/ Condensate

We also account for the EOPL (Eastern Outside Port Limit) grade, a synthetic crude grade created by Kpler to identify cargoes received offshore Malaysia. For more information on this please refer to the article: Iranian Oil Tracking Methodology.

Clean petroleum products (CPP)

​Dirty petroleum products (DPP)

​Chem/Bio

​LNG

Natural Gas Liquids (NGLs)

DRY

This field also captures cases where the vessel has acquired high risk cargo via an STS event to allow for end to end compliance monitoring.

Additionally, to provide more clarity to our customers, we have added the HS codes of the cargos.

In order to make decisions based on facts, all estimations or algorithm based forecasts are excluded. Under this field, you will find information about delivered and in-transit trades during the past 30 days and all history.

To support user understanding of the Cargo risk category, the following list provides the standardized cargo names used within the Risk & Compliance solution.

This field flags voyages where the Product × Origin × Destination combination is assessed against active sanctions or trade-restriction measures. The screening considers the cargo type, origin, destination, voyage dates, and the jurisdictional scope of the relevant measure. This includes import bans, export bans, embargoes, sectoral restrictions, regional restrictions, Oil Price Cap measures, and conditional measures such as general licenses, waivers, wind-down periods, or reporting obligations.

The High Risk () trade risk applies where the shipment matches a trade flow that is directly restricted under an applicable sanctions or trade-restrictions measure. This may include restricted products exported from or imported into sanctioned countries, trade with sanctioned regions, global restrictions involving North Korea, or flows between jurisdictions where the relevant authority has imposed a clear prohibition or embargo. High Risk can also apply where a measure is destination-specific, for example where the same origin and product may be restricted into one jurisdiction but not necessarily into another. A High Risk flag indicates that the voyage falls within a sanctions-relevant trade pattern and should be treated as a material compliance alert requiring review.

The Medium Risk () trade risk applies where the shipment may not be directly prohibited based on product, origin, and destination alone, but where the trade may still create sanctions exposure. This can occur when the destination itself is not subject to a direct import ban, but the transaction may involve restricted services, financing, insurance, shipping, ownership, payment channels, or persons from a sanctions-imposing jurisdiction. Medium Risk may also apply where the relevant measure is conditional, time-limited, subject to a general license or waiver, or dependent on additional facts that cannot be fully determined from the voyage alone.

For example, a shipment may be classified as Medium Risk where the trade is permitted only under specific licensing, wind-down, reporting, or counterparty conditions. Medium Risk may also apply where sanctions guidance creates indirect exposure, such as trades involving sanctioned-origin commodities moving to non-banning destinations, or trades where the legal treatment depends on the involvement of US, UK, EU, G7, or other restricted persons, services, insurers, banks, or currencies.

The Medium Risk trade risk applies to shipments of refined oil products (HS code 2710) that are exported from a non-EU country to an EU country and discharged on or after 21 January 2026. The risk is triggered when the refinery where the product was loaded has processed Russian-origin crude oil (HS code 2709) within the 60 days prior to the vessel’s loading date. While the product itself may not be of Russian origin, recent processing of Russian crude at the refinery may create indirect exposure to EU sanctions related to the import of Russian oil. This scenario is assessed under EU sanctions guidance, and is therefore classified as Medium Risk to highlight potential compliance concerns that may require further due diligence.

Trades involving Russian-origin oil cargo grades are marked "Under OPC" due to Oil Price Cap (OPC) measures introduced by the US, UK, European Union, Japan, Canada, and Australia on 5 December 2022. Hovering over the icon reveals the specific company entities linked to the vessel at that time under OPC jurisdiction, i.e., companies from the US, UK, European Union, Japan, Canada, or Australia, if applicable. This indicates that OPC rules apply and should be considered by the user.

Criteria for Status:

In addition to assessing vessel and cargo sanctions, we also scrutinize the ownership structure to determine if any layer of ownership is subject to sanctions. Our analysis covers these seven layers of ownership:

We review each layer against sanction lists to identify any matches. If any layer of ownership is found to be listed in the sanction lists, we flag the vessel accordingly, providing also the exact date this association was captured by us, adding another dimension to our compliance assessment. Additionally, we provide access to the ownership start date, the end date for historical ownership, the company IMO number, and the country where the owner is based.

Note that the ownership layers are displayed where available.

Criteria for Status:

Ownership and Management Structure: Each entity is defined below to help you understand the hierarchy and relationships among owners, managers, and operators.

Display detailed ownership information for the vessel, including the start date and/or end date for each ownership record. This allows users to track changes in ownership over time and understand the vessel’s historical ownership timeline.

Our team updates vessel ownership and management details daily based on publicly available data sources.

We assess whether the vessel's current and past flags are associated with a sanctioned program, providing insights into potential risks.

Criteria for Status:

We provide information about a vessel's Classification Society, P&I Club, and ISM Manager, which helps you understand who are the associated companies linked to a vessel and are responsible for its insurance and adherence to safety standards.

Additionally, we have incorporated IACS and IG P&I Club information alongside the names of the Classification Society and P&I Club to further enhance the vessel screening process, providing an additional indication that the vessel meets the international standards and has proper insurance coverage.

Classification Society and P&I Club meaning:

However, in cases where this information isn't known, we flag it to highlight potential risks since this information should, in principle, be easily accessible.

Criteria for Status:

In this section, we delve into the critical aspects of port state control (PSC), where ships are inspected in ports to verify that the condition of the ship and its equipment comply with the requirements of international regulations and that the ship is manned and operated in compliance with these rules. Our data sources rely on the Paris, Tokyo, Mediterranean, Black Sea, Caribbean, Indian, Abuja, and United States Coast Guard (USCG) Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), which provide valuable insights into vessel inspections, detentions, and bans.

Inspections

When assessing a vessel’s compliance, it’s essential to consider recent inspections. Users can access details such as:

Detentions

Detentions occur when a vessel fails to meet safety or environmental standards. Key information related to detentions includes:

Bans

Vessel bans are serious consequences that impact a ship’s operations. If a vessel has been subject to bans, users can find the following details:

Criteria for Status:

We regularly update this information to maintain accuracy and relevance. By staying informed, you can make informed decisions regarding vessel compliance and mitigate associated risks.

AIS gaps occur when a vessel's AIS signal is not received for over 20 hours, despite coverage being available at the start or end of the gap. These are assessed and classified based on location, draught change, and behavioral context.

Amber Risk Gaps ()
These indicate potentially suspicious activity and are flagged under the following conditions:

All Amber gaps:

Red Risk Gaps ()
Red gaps indicate high-severity AIS gaps linked to specific sensitive Mideast Gulf ports or terminals.
A gap is classified as High Risk / Red when it meets all of the following conditions:

This rule applies only to the listed ports and terminals, not to the wider Mideast Gulf area. Draught change is not required for Red Risk Gaps.

Criteria for Status:

In this field, we provide information which allow you to monitor and assess ship-to-ship (STS) transfers for potential sanction risks.

To achieve this, we track STS transfer activities using AIS data and other market sources. This continuous monitoring allows us to identify when and where STS transfers occur while ensuring that bunkering events are excluded as well.

For an STS transfer event to be considered high risk, at least one of the two vessels involved must meet one of the following criteria:

The High risk STS transfers table provides detailed information on each event within the selected timeframe, including:

Criteria for Status:

This field provides verified information about ship-to-ship (STS) transfers that occur while a vessel's AIS transponder is turned off. Every Dark STS event is confirmed using satellite imagery.

Such events present significant compliance and operational risks. By identifying and verifying them, you stay ahead of potential regulatory and sanctions violations and obtain crucial insights for your risk management processes.

The Dark STS transfers table provides detailed information on each event within the selected timeframe, including:

Criteria for Status:

In this section, we identify port calls to countries under sanctions and provide detailed event data for thorough analysis.

For a port call to be considered high risk, the port needs to be located in any of the following countries or territories, within the specified date ranges:

The High risk port calls table provides detailed information on each event within the selected timeframe, including:

Criteria for Status:

This field provides verified information about port calls that occur while a vessel’s AIS transponder is turned off. Every Dark port call event is confirmed using satellite imagery.

Such events may present significant compliance and operational risks, as the absence of AIS transmissions can obscure a vessel’s presence, movements and activities within a port or terminal area. By identifying and verifying these events, you gain greater visibility into potentially concealed port activity and strengthen your sanctions-screening and risk-management processes.

The Dark port calls table provides detailed information on each event within the selected timeframe, including:

Criteria for Status:

This field provides the list of intentional AIS transmission falsification from vessels, also known as AIS spoofing. To detect AIS spoofing, we use a structured methodology:

This process ensures accurate detection and reporting of AIS transmission falsification.

The methodology covers Tankers and Dry Bulks.

The AIS spoofing table provides detailed information on each event within the selected timeframe, including:

Criteria for Status:

AIS Identity Manipulation highlights vessels for which intentional AIS identity falsification has been identified. This may include cases where a vessel appears to transmit AIS messages using another vessel’s identity. One example is a zombie vessel, where an active vessel uses the identity of a scrapped or inactive vessel.

We identify AIS identity manipulation using our AIS data, satellite imagery, vessel reference data. When a relevant event is identified, it is shown under Operational Risks and marked as Amber Risk ().

What users will see

Where available, the event details include:

This section provides a regulatory and operational assessment of the flag(s) under which a vessel is or has been registered. Each risk event is evaluated to highlight risk exposures based on international compliance, inspection regimes, and conventions.

False Flag events identify cases where a vessel appears to be operating under a flag that is inconsistent with its reported or observed registration status. Kpler assesses these cases using vessel identity data, reported AIS flag information, historical flag changes, registry-related indicators, and analyst validation. A vessel is flagged when the reported current flag cannot be validated against the vessel’s available registration and identity signals, indicating a potential false flag discrepancy.

This field evaluates whether the vessel’s current flag appears on the White, Grey, or Black lists published by the Paris and Tokyo Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).

This section references the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Targeted Flag List, which highlights flags associated with below-standard performance based on safety inspections and detentions in US waters.

We assess whether the vessel is currently registered under a Flag of Convenience, as identified by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). Flags of convenience may reduce regulatory burdens but also raise operational, legal, and reputational concerns, particularly related to crew welfare and enforcement standards.

This field checks whether the vessel’s current and previous flags have ratified key IMO conventions.

This component checks whether the vessel’s current and previous flags have ratified key ILO conventions.

Criteria for Status: