New System Uses Sensors and Satellite Imaging to Track Vessels in Real Time
Redlands, California—Esri, the global leader in location intelligence, today announced that Prefectura Naval Argentina and Aeroterra S.A. have partnered to implement Esri’s ArcGIS platform for a real-time tracking system. The new system, called Guardacostas Pro, uses a combination of satellite imaging and signal processing to monitor vessels for illegal activities such as drug smuggling and fish poaching in the coastal waters of Argentina’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).As Argentina’s coast guard, Prefectura Naval deploys patrol vessels, helicopters, and airplane spotters to protect its economic interests and to guard against the decline of its fishery. This year, the Guardacostas Pro system allowed Prefectura Naval to track a Spanish vessel that entered the EEZ and attempted to return to international waters. The coast guard was able to catch the ship, which had poached roughly $380,000 worth of fish; escort it back to port; impound it; and fine the crew. The captain had little ground to refute the charges because the coast guard had the data to prove the illegal activity.
