Middle East & Africa | When the ship hits the scam

Why vessels passing near Iran may have trouble staying on course

Shipowners suspect their satnav systems are being “spoofed”

A questionable seizure

THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ is hard to navigate at the best of times. It is narrow, crooked, dotted with islands and, as the only way in or out of the Persian Gulf, busy. Recently, a new peril has joined the list: that satellite-navigation systems may be “spoofed” to lure vessels off course.

This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “When the ship hits the scam”

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