Vessel tracking

Vessel tracking combines AIS messages, SAR targets, optical detections, wakes, and maritime context to produce vessel detections, identity correlation, dark-ship flags, track history, and alerts.^[1][2][3] Sentinel-1C and Sentinel-1D AIS payloads collect vessel identity, position, and direction signals for maritime traffic monitoring.^[1] SAR and optical imagery support vessel detection, with AIS used to identify or corroborate targets.^[2][3] Optical very-high-resolution sensors can differentiate vessel types in clear daylight, while SAR supports all-weather and day-night detection.^[2] Operational tracking workflows correlate SAR detections, optical classification, and AIS to identify unmatched vessels and maintain track context between satellite passes.^[1][2][3]