We have released new updates to MarineTraffic Risk & Compliance to help users investigate vessel risk with clearer evidence, stronger explainability, and deeper ownership context.
This article explains what changed, where to find the updates, and how to use the new information in screening and investigation workflows.
What’s new
This release includes updates to:
Enhanced AIS Spoofing Explainability
Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) Information
Enhanced Dark STS transfer explainability
High-risk STS transfer source attribution
Ownership type filtering
Enhanced AIS Spoofing Explainability
AIS Spoofing indicators now include richer contextual information to help users understand why spoofing was detected.
Previously, users could see that a spoofing event had been identified, but additional investigation could be needed to understand the evidence behind the detection. The updated explainability provides more context around how the event was identified and what supporting evidence is available.
Where to find it
Open a vessel’s Risk & Compliance view and go to Operational risks. AIS Spoofing events are available under the AIS Spoofing tab.
What information is now available
Each detection can now include additional evidence, including:
the method used to identify the event: satellite imagery, AIS trajectory validation, AIS coverage validation, or analyst input;
the estimated true location at the time spoofing was triggered.
Users can also access the open-source image used for the identification directly from the event evidence, when available.
How to use it
Use the enhanced explainability to review:
where the vessel located during the suspected spoofing event;
what evidence supports the detection;
whether the event was validated by satellite imagery, AIS trajectory analysis, AIS coverage validation, or analyst input;
whether the event requires further investigation or escalation.
Why this matters
AIS spoofing can make a vessel appear to be somewhere other than its actual location. More context around the detection helps compliance teams reduce review time, increase confidence in risk assessments, and make more defensible compliance decisions.
Ultimate Beneficial Owner / UBO Information
Ultimate Beneficial Owner information is now available in vessel ownership records, giving users additional visibility into who ultimately controls a vessel.
In shipping, vessel ownership is often complex.
Ships may be registered under holding companies, shell entities, or nominee structures across multiple jurisdictions. This can make it difficult to identify the real individual or entity behind a vessel.
UBO information helps users cut through this complexity where data is available.
Where to find it
Open a vessel’s Risk & Compliance view and go to Regulatory risks. UBO information is available under the Ownership tab when data is available for the vessel.
What information may be shown
When available, UBO records can include:
UBO name;
Entity type;
Country;
Ownership path or “via” entity;
Confidence level.
This information appears alongside current ownership records, helping users connect vessel ownership data with broader regulatory risk screening.
How to use it
UBO information can help users:
identify the individual, family, or government agency ultimately behind a vessel;
understand ownership links through intermediary companies;
review hidden ownership relationships;
support enhanced due diligence workflows;
assess whether a vessel requires further investigation.
Why this matters
Ownership risk is not always visible from the registered owner alone. UBO information gives compliance teams a deeper view of vessel ownership structures, supporting more complete risk assessments and helping uncover relationships that may otherwise remain hidden.
Enhanced Dark STS transfer explainability
Dark STS transfer events now provide clearer context on why a ship-to-ship transfer was identified as “dark”.
The event can now distinguish whether the transfer occurred during:
AIS spoofing, where the vessel manipulates the AIS signal to spoof its true position; or
AIS gap, where the AIS transponder was intentionally switched off for a period of time.
This helps users understand the underlying data condition that caused the STS transfer to appear “dark”.
When available, users can also review supporting satellite imagery directly from the event evidence.
Where to find it
Open a vessel’s Risk & Compliance view and go to Operational risks. Dark STS transfer events are available under the Dark STS transfers tab.
Why this matters
A spoofed AIS signal and an AIS gap can carry different risk implications. Showing the underlying reason behind a Dark STS transfer helps users assess the event more accurately and decide whether further investigation is needed.
New Source column for High-risk STS transfers
The High-risk STS transfers table now includes a Source column.
This column helps users understand where each flagged STS transfer event originated and whether it was automatically detected or analyst-validated.
Where to find it
Open a vessel’s Risk & Compliance view and go to Operational risks. In the High-risk STS transfers table, the new Source column appears alongside the event details.
Source values
Source | Meaning |
Algorithm | The event was automatically detected using AIS data processed by Kpler’s risk detection models. |
Analyst | The event was reviewed and validated by Kpler Risk & Compliance analysts. |
How to use it
The Source column can help users:
understand the data lineage behind a flagged event;
assess whether an event was model-detected or analyst-reviewed;
prioritise events for further investigation;
support internal audit and compliance review processes.
Why this matters
Source attribution adds another layer of auditability. It helps users evaluate the relevance and reliability of each flagged transfer event, especially when reviewing high volumes of STS activity or preparing evidence for internal compliance decisions.
Improved Ownership type filter
The Ownership type filter has been redesigned to make ownership screening faster and easier.
Users can now select multiple ownership types at once, without reopening the filter each time or applying separate searches manually.
Where to find it
The updated filter is available in the Ownership & Management filter within Risk & Compliance screening workflows.
What changed
Before | Now |
Users had to reopen or repeat filter actions to check multiple ownership types. | Users can select multiple ownership types in one interaction. |
Screening ownership structures required more clicks. | Multi-selection makes it faster to narrow results. |
Reviewing complex ownership records could be more manual. | Users can more easily compare relevant ownership entity types. |
Example use case
A compliance analyst reviewing a fleet may need to check several ownership categories, such as registered owner, beneficial owner, commercial manager, or technical manager.
With the updated filter, the analyst can select multiple ownership types together and narrow the ownership view more quickly.
Why this matters
Ownership screening often involves reviewing multiple entities connected to a vessel. The redesigned filter reduces manual effort and supports faster investigation, particularly for users handling high volumes of vessel lookups.
Summary
These updates improve Risk & Compliance in five practical ways:
Improvement area | Benefit |
Explainability | Users can better understand why AIS Spoofing and Dark STS events were detected. |
Evidence access | Supporting evidence, including satellite imagery where available, is easier to review. |
Auditability | Source attribution helps users trace where High-risk STS transfer events came from. |
Workflow efficiency | Improved ownership filtering reduces manual screening effort. |
Ownership transparency | UBO information gives users deeper visibility into vessel ownership structures. |
Together, these changes help compliance teams investigate vessel risk with more context, clearer evidence, and faster access to the information needed for screening and escalation decisions.