Methodology and tools for identifying and tracking vessels

On January 16, 2024, the bulk carrier Zografia was subjected to a missile attack in the Red Sea. The video captures the moment of the explosion at the bow of the ship, after which the crew of the ship urgently runs in the opposite direction.

The Houthis, in alliance with Hamas, carried out attacks on Israeli merchant ships heading to Israel in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, located between Yemen, Djibouti, and Eritrea (see the Houthis analysis by iMEdD).

This strait has enormous strategic importance for the movement of goods between Asia and Europe, and it is estimated that 12% of world trade passes through the Red Sea. Major shipping companies are redirecting their vessels, which requires a long detour around the African continent, adding approximately 3,500 nautical miles—or ten days—to the journey.

On the same day that the attack on the Zografia ship occurred, the BBC reported that the Greece-owned and Malta-flagged bulk carrier was heading from Vietnam to Israel. There are OSINT methods available on the internet for collecting the above information; in this article, we will describe four steps for quickly identifying a merchant vessel, using the Zografia incident as an illustrative example.

Step 1: Location

To track a marine vessel in real-time, you can use AIS trackers. One such tracker is marinetraffic.com

- It is recommended to pay attention to the selection of tools for tracking maritime transport

By entering the name of the vessel — in our case "Zografia" — users can track its position on the map. As of March 5, the vessel was reportedly docked in Perama and undergoing repairs. This is also confirmed by a report from the Kathimerini newspaper.

The vessel's location is transmitted using the Automatic Identification System (AIS), which is a requirement mandated by the International Maritime Organization for all vessels.

A search on marinetraffic.com shows that there are other vessels with the same name, highlighting the importance of ensuring accurate identification.

Each commercial vessel is assigned a unique seven-digit IMO number, regardless of changes in ownership, name, or flag. The IMO number for Zografia is 9486013. Additionally, it has been confirmed that Zografia is a bulk carrier registered under the Maltese flag.

Step 2: Chronolocation

Marinetraffic.com, along with similar AIS trackers such as Vesselfinder.com, offers subscription services that provide accurate data on the vessel's recent precise locations.

— In addition, other companies offer this information for free, such as Veson Nautical, a provider of services and data for international maritime trade. You can contact Veson Nautical by email ([email protected]) to request the location history of Zografia for the past year. And within an hour you will receive a response with an attached map, as shown below.

Step 3: Determining Ownership

Having obtained the IMO number of the vessel, we can search for the owner and manager of the vessel. Most databases require a paid subscription to obtain this information, but equasis.org requires a simple email registration.

By entering the IMO number of Zografia (9486013), we can confirm that as of February 2021, the Greek company Vulcanus Technical Maritime is both the owner and the manager/commercial manager of the vessel.

Step 4: Inspection Information

The equasis.org service also offers additional inspection information for free. From the provided inspection history, we learn that Zografia was detained on November 14, 2023, in the Chinese port of Zhanjiang due to 15 deficiencies, mostly related to life-saving equipment and fire safety.