Out in the middle of the sea or ocean, far from any port, only the eye of satellites can trigger a rescue mission, uncover illegal activities, or warn of danger. A vast horizon and an incredibly sharp vision are needed to act as guardian angels for sailors or vigilant watchers on the hunt for smugglers, illegal fishers, or polluters. In its ninth episode, Space Panorama explores how e-GEOS, leveraging data flowing from orbit, supports maritime monitoring activities for clients all over the world. Starting with Italian institutions.
“It happens very frequently that oil tankers, to save money, instead of cleaning their internal tanks in ports using specific and costly procedures, use seawater instead,” explains Filippo Daffinà, Deputy Head of Sales D&I, COSMO-SkyMed and Business Development at e-GEOS. “This obviously causes a spill.” Oil slicks are easily detected by radar satellites because oil smooths the surface of the sea—and tracing the spill back to its source, the vessel that caused it, is straightforward.
All the “senses” of satellites
Detecting illegal activities in open sea is one of the services provided by e-GEOS within its Maritime surveillance offering. Radar satellites can “see” through clouds and determine the size and position of a vessel. Each satellite carries a different type of sensor: optical satellites provide imagery of ongoing activities, while nighttime sensors scan the darkness for points of light. Specialized antennas can pick up emissions from navigation radars, enabling the detection of vessels attempting to remain hidden.
“Large ships and passenger vessels are required to have tracking devices active at all times,” Daffinà continues. “However, some choose to switch them off to operate in ‘dark mode,’ potentially because they may be involved in illicit activities.”
These capabilities are used, for example, to monitor territorial waters and maritime traffic for safety and security purposes.
They support strategic activities such as assisting the Italian Navy in protecting national infrastructure and operations, and supporting the Ministry of the Environment in safeguarding ecosystems - including marine protected areas. “Fishing is forbidden within these areas and, in some cases, even transit is not allowed. We monitor them for the Ministry of the Environment, including the Kingdom of Neptune (which covers Ischia and Procida), Asinara, and Cinque Terre.”
Smugglers and illegal fishers
Seas are the main routes for most global goods, especially along long-distance routes—and they are also the stage for illegal activities with geopolitical implications. This includes oil smuggling carried out by “ghost fleets,” often involving sanctioned countries. It happens all over the world: “We assist Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs in combating illegal fishing within their Exclusive Economic Zone; we carry out anti-piracy activities in the Gulf of Guinea; and we support the protection of offshore infrastructure, such as submarine cables.
We monitor anchorages, activities, or any other anomalies along cable routes and immediately notify our clients,” Daffinà adds.
Upon request from operators in the sector, e-GEOS can also support search and rescue operations for vessels in distress on the high seas. Satellites can clearly detect and locate drifting ice floes and icebergs, including their dimensions, almost like having a lookout on the tallest mast, offering invaluable assistance.
Daffinà cites the example of the Navy’s scientific expedition: “We support the Italian Hydrographic Institute in the High North research campaign. In this case, we provide daily reports on the presence of ice along the route of the Alliance vessel, communicating directly with the crew.”