The International Risk Podcast Episode 287: Forging Solutions for Verifiable Maritime Intelligence to Combat Shadow Fleets with Tuana Yazici and Steven Adler
Today, Dominic Bowen hosts Tuana Yazici and Steven Adler on The International Risk Podcast to examine the challenge of verifiable maritime intelligence in an era of shadow fleets, uneven enforcement, and rapidly advancing remote sensing technologies.
They discuss how traditional surveillance struggles to track unregistered or deliberately obscured vessels, and how satellite imagery, SAR, radiofrequency detection, and AIS data can be combined to identify evasive behaviour at sea. Yet, evidence from these technologies remains inconsistently admissible in legal or regulatory settings. The conversation highlights both the potential and limits of space-enabled monitoring, the legal uncertainties of geospatial evidence, and the institutional gaps that hinder coordinated enforcement against sanctions evasion and illicit trade.
The guests also explore technical vulnerabilities in satellite sensing, standards for reliability and authenticity, and the need for frameworks integrating ocean-domain intelligence, space-derived data, and clear legal pathways for verification. They consider incentives, jurisdictional constraints, and governance barriers shaping responses to shadow fleets, reflecting on what credible, scalable maritime intelligence will require in the years ahead.
Tuana is the Founder, Chair and CEO of Tuana Group, its subsidiaries AeroAI Voyages and AeroAI DesignLab, and the nonprofit AeroAI Global Solutions, an observer organisation to the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS). Across these entities, she works at the intersection of space technologies, artificial intelligence and governance, developing applied solutions that use advanced sensing and AI systems to improve global living conditions.
Steven is the former Chief Data Strategist at IBM Watson and founder of the Ocean Data Alliance. He is a leading voice in open data governance, ocean information policy, and the development of trusted, interoperable data systems for governments, multilateral bodies, and industry, focusing on infrastructures needed for effective maritime oversight.
The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners and senior decision-makers who shape how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you are a board member, policymaker or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis and real-world stories that matter.
Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and one of Europe’s leading experts on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at a major risk consulting firm, he advises CEOs, boards and senior executives on preparing for uncertainty and acting with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies and supporting Europe’s business leaders. Dominic is trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure and ability to turn volatility into strategic advantage. He equips leaders with the insight and confidence needed to navigate disruption and deliver long-term resilience.
The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.
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