Windward
Israeli maritime AI company tracking sanctions evasion, AIS spoofing, and shadow fleet movements globally.
Last refreshed: 30 March 2026 · Appears in 2 active topics
Can a private Israeli analytics firm’s data reliably drive EU sanctions against Russian shipping?
Latest on Windward
- What is Windward?
- Windward is an Israeli maritime AI analytics company, founded in 2011 and listed on the London Stock Exchange. It uses AIS data, satellite imagery, and machine learning to detect sanctions evasion, AIS spoofing, and shadow fleet activity globally.Source: Windward
- How does Windward track shadow fleet ships?
- Windward fuses AIS vessel-tracking signals, satellite imagery, and behavioural models to identify ships that have switched flags, disabled transponders, or engaged in ship-to-ship transfers. It documented that Sovcomflot reflagged 56% of its fleet to Russia’s own registry as of March 2026.Source: Windward
- What AIS jamming did Windward find in the Persian Gulf?
- On 5 March 2026, Windward identified 92 AIS denial zones and 44 GPS jamming zones across the Persian Gulf, charting the full scale of Iran’s electronic-warfare disruption to commercial navigation during the Iran conflict.Source: Windward
- How does Windward compare to TankerTrackers.com?
- Windward and TankerTrackers.com both track vessel movements, but Windward focuses on AI-driven behavioural analytics and sanctions compliance at an institutional scale, while TankerTrackers specialises in satellite-based cargo and flow estimates. Both provided data during the 2026 Iran and Russia-Ukraine conflicts.Source: Windward
- Is Windward data used by governments for sanctions?
- Yes. The EU’s March 2026 shadow-fleet sanctions package explicitly drew on Windward’s registry analysis, which showed Sovcomflot had reflagged 56% of its fleet. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas cited this kind of maritime intelligence as the basis for targeting shipowners and registries, not just vessels.Source: EU / Windward
Background
Windward is an Israeli maritime intelligence company founded in 2011 by Ami Daniel and Matan Peled, listed on the London Stock Exchange since 2021. Its platform fuses AIS vessel-tracking data, satellite imagery, and machine-learning behavioural models to flag sanctions evasion, illicit ship-to-ship transfers, and anomalous vessel behaviour at scale.
Across both active conflicts Windward covers, its data has become primary evidence for policymakers. In the Persian Gulf, the company identified 92 AIS denial zones and 44 GPS jamming zones as of 5 March 2026, mapping the electronic warfare environment strangling commercial navigation. In the Russia-Ukraine war, Windward’s registry analysis documented that Sovcomflot had reflagged 56% of its fleet to Russia’s own registry, supplying the evidentiary backbone for the EU’s March 2026 shadow-fleet sanctions package.
Windward occupies an unusual position: a private company whose commercial intelligence product directly shapes sanctions enforcement and conflict reporting. Its data appears in EU policy documents, news wires, and government briefings simultaneously, raising questions about accountability, methodology transparency, and the role of for-profit maritime analytics in determining which ships are targeted.
