According to foreign media reports, a container ship under the Liberian flag, the "MSC ANTONIA," ran aground on May 10, 2025, near the Elisa Shoal close to Jeddah Port in Saudi Arabia. Preliminary investigations indicate that this incident may have been caused by global positioning system (GPS) signal manipulation.

Zhongjin understands that this event occurred against the backdrop of escalating GPS interference in the Red Sea region, where signal spoofing activities pose significant risks to ships and global trade.

Windward's report for the first quarter revealed a significant increase in GPS interference incidents in 2025, with ships experiencing an average "jump" in position of up to 6,300 kilometers, far higher than the 600 kilometers seen in the fourth quarter of 2024. This drastic increase severely impacts ships' navigation capabilities and maritime safety. The Red Sea region, particularly near Sudan, has become a major hotspot for GPS interference, with over 180 vessels affected in the first quarter of 2025 alone.

The "MSC ANTONIA" container ship, owned by the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), has a capacity of 7,000 TEU, a length of 304 meters, and a width of 40 meters. The grounding incident occurred on its route from Massawa, Sudan, to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

According to ship tracking data, as of 9:51 AM on May 15, the vessel remains stranded.

The Red Sea, along with the Suez Canal, forms a crucial "Euro-Asian waterway" and is one of the busiest water passages globally, with nearly 12% of global trade passing through it. However, since November 2023, due to attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen, the maritime situation in the Red Sea has been unstable, posing a threat to global energy and supply chains.