Splash247: Qatar peels back navigation ban

Doha has just softened its maritime blackout. After a full suspension on October 4 due to GPS disruptions, Qatar’s Ministry of Transport partially lifted the freeze late yesterday. Daytime navigation is now allowed, though nighttime restrictions remain for smaller, non-merchant vessels.

The move comes amid warnings that the GPS “technical fault” – first detailed on Saturday – has not been fixed.

Saturday’s blanket ban on navigation across Qatari waters comes amid a regional spike in GPS jamming episodes. Windward, a maritime analytics company, reports hundreds of vessels daily have faced interference in the Arabian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz — some with their AIS signals showing phantom positions deep inland.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed receiving multiple direct reports of GPS interference, according to its latest advisory. The agency’s Electronic Interference Heatmap, covering data from September 25 to October 2, showed persistent concentrations of disruption in the Red Sea — particularly around Port Sudan — and new low-level interference emerging near Jizan for the first time.

In the Arabian Gulf, UKMTO noted steady interference levels compared to last week’s reporting, but highlighted a new “higher concentration” of GPS anomalies in the vicinity of Iran’s Port of Assaluyeh.

“In comparison to last week, the concentrations of electronic interference around Yanbu, Jeddah, and Port Sudan in the Red Sea, as well as around Fujairah, appear to have decreased slightly but remain noticeable,” the British maritime agency said.