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The first gas leaks since North Stream 2, in the Baltic Sea, were detected in the early hours of 26 September and have spewed into the atmosphere up to 400 thousand tons of methane. The authorities immediately thought of a sabotage of the international pipeline. Now, a new analysis viewed by Wired UK shows that in the days immediately preceding the discovery of leaks near the affected area were present two large ships with their trackers switched off.
According to analysis by satellite data monitoring company SpaceKnow, the two vessels, each measuring approximately 95-130 meters in length, transited within a radius of several kilometers of the Nord Stream 2 leak sites.”We have detected some ‘obscured’ vessels, vessels of significant size which were passing through the affected area – explains Jerry Javornicky, CEO and co-founder of SpaceKnow -. They had their beacons turned off, meaning they weren’t transmitting information about their movements and what they were trying to keep their location information hidden from the worldas well as the general ones“.
NATO involvement
It is probable that the discovery, which arrived thanks to the analysis of the images of various satellites, will further increase the speculation about the cause of the explosions. Several countries investigating the incident believe that the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines were hit by a series of explosions. Most of the suspicions are aimed at Russia, which is carrying out the invasion of Ukraine (the country has denied any responsibility). Once the ships are identified, SpaceKnow has reported his findings to officials of the Born, who are investigating the incidents. Javornicky says officials at the organization have asked the company to provide more information.
The spokesperson for the BornOana Lungescu, says the organization does not comment “details of the media or sources used“, but confirmed that NATO believes the incident was a “deliberate and irresponsible act of sabotage” and that it has increased its presence in the Baltic and North Seas. However, an official of the organization not authorized to speak publicly confirmed to Wired UK that NATO has received the data from SpaceKnow and added that the satellite images could prove useful for investigations.
Analysis of satellite images
Javornicky said the company looked to locate the ships satellite images archived collections in the area over ninety days. The company analyzes images from various satellite systems, including paid and free services, and uses themachine learning to detect the objects that appear inside them. “We have 38 specific algorithms that can detect military equipmentsays Javornicky, adding that SpaceKnow’s system is able to identify specific patterns of aircraft on runways.
Once the archival images of the area were gathered, SpaceKnow drew a series of polygons around the sites where the gas leaks had occurred. The smallest of these, about 400 square meters, covered the area in the immediate vicinity of the explosion, while the larger areas extended over several kilometres. In the weeks leading up to the explosions, SpaceKnow detected 25 ships transiting the region, from “cargo ships to large multipurpose vessels“, reports Javornicky. In total, 23 of these had automatic identification systems (Ais, also known as transponders) turned on. In two cases, however, the boats’ AIS were deactivated: these are ships that have passed through the area in the days prior to the detection of the gas leaks.
How transponders work
Under international law, large ships are required to install and use the Ais. This tracking system was created to help vessels navigate and avoid potential collisions with other vessels. When active, AIS transmits information such as the vessel’s name, position, direction of travel and speed.
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