Shipping•20 Apr 2026
South China Sea Shipping Monitor — 20 Apr 2026
AIS snapshot of the South China Sea. 5479 vessels observed as of 20 Apr 2026, 09:52 UTC. Sanctioned-flag vessels: 10. AIS gaps: 1217.
Zone: South China Sea — Captured: 20 Apr 2026, 09:52 UTC — Total vessels: 5479
Fleet Composition
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total vessels | 5479 |
| Tankers | 531 |
| Cargo vessels | 1911 |
| Sanctioned-flag vessels | 10 (0.2%) |
| AIS gap >10 min | 1217 (22.2%) |
| No declared destination | 316 (5.8%) |
Flag Distribution
Iranian-flagged vessels: 6 total — 0 tankers, 4 cargo.
Destination Breakdown
316 vessels (5.8%) carried no declared destination or an unresolvable value.
AIS Transmission Gaps
1217 vessels recorded AIS transmission gaps exceeding 10 minutes at time of capture.
| Vessel | Flag | Type | Gap | Declared destination |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALKAHFI CHARM | MY | Vessel | 24.0 min | Iran |
| KT710 | VN | Unknown | 24.0 min | Unknown |
| YUETAIYU11118 | CN | WIG | 24.0 min | Other |
| 59 LXU 1 A38 96 | VN | Unknown | 24.0 min | Other |
| 01KY LRUT 893U 99 | VN | Unknown | 24.0 min | Other |
| CAILIN LOMHARA | US | Other | 24.0 min | Other |
| QIONGLINGSHUI12037 | CN | WIG | 24.0 min | Other |
| VINH PHUOC 168 | VN | Cargo | 24.0 min | Other |
Zone Map
Green — underway · Yellow — anchored · Red — sanctioned flag · Grey — AIS gap exceeding 10 minutes
AIS snapshot captured 20 Apr 2026, 09:52 UTC. Vessel count and positions reflect data available at time of capture. AIS gaps may result from coverage limitations, transponder deactivation, or encoding artifacts.