Cables, Conflict, & Clarity: What the “Song Hang” Vessel Tells Us About Maritime AI

Securing the vast network of undersea cables, the backbone of global internet traffic, has become a national security imperative in the Asia-Pacific. But with geopolitical tensions rising and tens of thousands of vessels crisscrossing the region every day, how can you separate innocent traffic from a potential threat?

The answer lies in going beyond dots on a map. A system that simply flags every vessel approaching, or passing over your assets, will generate an overwhelming amount of noise with limited strategic value. Windward’s Maritime AI™ platform doesn’t just monitor location, it contextualizes behavior. We provide governments and security agencies with the clarity to understand who a vessel is, what it’s doing, and where it’s doing it. This level of clarity is critical, especially in one particularly revealing case: the Chinese vessel Song Hang.

A Fishing Vessel or Something More?

The Song Hang was intercepted by the Philippine Coast Guard east of Palawan in April 2025. Its crew claimed it was heading to the Indian Ocean to fish. But authorities were suspicious, pointing to the vessel’s unusual behavior and proximity to Philippine undersea cables. So, who was right?

Image Source: Newsweek

Here’s where Maritime AI™ cuts through the fog.

• Vessel profile: the vessel had red flags, more specifically, discrepancies between its transmitted and registered IMO, an unclear ownership trail, and a moderate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing risk score.

• Behavioral context: the Song Hang exhibited deliberate loitering patterns directly over critical infrastructure, the kind of movement associated with mapping or surveillance activity, not fishing.

• Comparative analysis: when we compared its sailing pattern to legitimate fishing vessels in the area, the difference was unmistakable. Where other fishing vessels showed natural, erratic fishing movement (right), Song Hang’s path was controlled, deliberate, and cable-aligned (left).

Insight, Not Judgment

Windward does not tell you what to believe – we show you the clearest possible picture so you can make informed, confident decisions. In an environment where narratives clash – government vs. vessel, ally vs. adversary – having access to accurate, contextualized, and behavior-based intelligence can mean the difference between overreacting or underestimating a real threat, and reacting in proportion.

Whether it’s loitering over undersea cables, conducting sharp course deviations, or slowing down for unexplained reasons, we help agencies quickly identify high-risk behavior amid the noise of routine maritime traffic.

See the Solution in Action