Maritime Compliance Software

What Is Maritime Compliance Software?

Maritime compliance software enables shipping companies, freight forwarders, and government agencies to ensure their operations comply with international maritime laws and environmental regulations. It automates risk detection, tracks compliance indicators, and integrates real-time data for actionable insights. Windward’s Maritime AI™ is leading the way in delivering an advanced, data-driven compliance solution.

Why Is Maritime Compliance Important?

Compliance failures in maritime operations can result in substantial fines, vessel detentions, reputational damage, and blacklisting. With over 90% of world trade carried by sea, according to the IMO, maintaining a trustworthy operation is fundamental to long-term success. Maritime compliance software minimizes these risks with precision and efficiency.

What Regulations Does Maritime Compliance Software Help Address?

Maritime compliance software supports adherence to a number of regulations:

IMO’s ISPS Code: Enhancing Vessel and Port Security

The International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code is a mandatory framework established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to detect and deter threats to ships and port facilities. It outlines responsibilities for governments, shipping companies, and port authorities to uphold maritime security through access controls, security assessments, and emergency protocols. Maritime compliance software ensures continuous adherence to ISPS requirements by monitoring vessel behavior and security documentation.

SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea)

The SOLAS Convention is one of the most important international treaties for maritime safety, requiring vessels to adhere to stringent safety standards related to equipment, construction, navigation, and crew readiness. First adopted in 1914, SOLAS has evolved to address modern risks such as fire safety, lifeboat drills, and electronic navigation. Compliance software helps shipowners stay aligned with these evolving standards and avoid penalties or operational delays.

Ballast Water Management Convention

This IMO convention aims to prevent the spread of invasive aquatic species through ballast water discharged from ships. It mandates treatment systems, monitoring equipment, and thorough record-keeping to ensure compliance. Maritime compliance software automates ballast water reporting and ensures timely data submission to relevant authorities.

EU MRV and IMO DCS for Emissions Reporting

Both the European Union’s Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) regulation and the IMO’s Data Collection System (DCS) require ships over 5,000 GT to report fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions. These frameworks aim to increase transparency and support the achievement of decarbonization goals. Software solutions streamline the collection, validation, and submission of emissions data, reducing the administrative burden on compliance teams.

OFAC and UN Sanctions Compliance

The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the United Nations maintain sanctions that prohibit maritime trade with certain flagged entities, individuals, or regions. Non-compliance can result in multi-million-dollar fines, vessel detentions, and reputational damage. Maritime compliance software helps operators identify high-risk engagements by mapping ownership networks and detecting deceptive shipping practices like flag hopping and dark activity.

How Does Maritime Compliance Software Work?

Maritime compliance software integrates multiple data streams, including Automatic Identification System (AIS) transmissions, satellite inputs, and GNSS data, with artificial intelligence and machine learning to monitor and enforce regulatory requirements. The software automates data ingestion from various sources, including weather patterns and cargo manifests, enabling it to maintain an accurate, real-time view of vessel behavior. A built-in rules engine applies regulation-specific logic to assess compliance, while customizable dashboards and alerting systems immediately flag potential red flags. 

The system also generates comprehensive audit trails, which document compliance steps and enforcement actions. Integration capabilities enable seamless connectivity with enterprise systems, port authorities, and other maritime platforms. Windward’s platform enhances all these functions through behavioral analytics powered by deep maritime expertise, setting a new standard for compliance intelligence.

What Features Should You Look For in Maritime Compliance Software?

To ensure your organization stays ahead of evolving maritime regulations and risks, it’s essential to choose a platform that offers comprehensive, intelligent, and adaptive functionality. Must-have features include:

• AIS anomaly detection: flagging location (GNSS) manipulation and AIS spoofing
• Regulation libraries: built-in, up-to-date compliance frameworks
• Automated risk scoring: dynamic updates based on vessel behavior
• Custom alerts: notify teams on port state control issues
• Vessel ownership mapping: track complex ownership layers
• Audit trails: store verifiable compliance records

How Does Maritime Compliance Software Benefit Shipping Companies?

Shipping companies that adopt maritime compliance software can unlock a range of operational advantages. By ensuring regulatory adherence, these platforms significantly reduce the risk of costly fines and penalties. They also help minimize vessel detentions, which are often triggered by non-compliance, enabling smoother port entries and faster turnaround times. 

Maintaining consistent compliance boosts a company’s reputation with charterers, regulators, and financial stakeholders. Additionally, insurers often offer better rates to organizations that can demonstrate strong compliance practices. Ultimately, automating checks, reporting, and documentation saves valuable time and resources, enabling teams to concentrate on high-value tasks rather than manual compliance processes.

How Does Maritime Compliance Software Support Environmental Compliance?

With growing regulatory focus on sustainability, maritime compliance software enables:

• Emission monitoring: aligns with EU MRV, IMO DCS
• Fuel reporting: assesses fuel consumption and carbon intensity
• EEXI & CII readiness: tools for the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index
• Ballast management: tracks water discharge compliance

What Are the Risks of Not Using Compliance Software?

How Does Maritime Compliance Software Detect Deceptive Shipping Practices?

Maritime compliance software plays a crucial role in identifying deceptive shipping practices (DSPs) by continuously analyzing vessel behavior against a backdrop of known risk indicators. This includes detecting AIS disabling or spoofing, which can conceal a vessel’s location or identity. It also monitors for suspicious ship-to-ship (STS) transfers, particularly in high-risk zones or during unmonitored periods. Repeated flag changes, commonly referred to as flag hopping, are identified as potential indicators of sanctions evasion. 

The software also tracks irregular voyage patterns that could suggest attempts to mask a vessel’s actual origin or destination. Windward’s Maritime AI™ solution brings a critical edge to this challenge, surfacing deceptive behaviors with precision and context. For a deeper dive into these evolving tactics, our comprehensive guide to DSPs breaks down both the classics and the latest threats.

How Is Windward’s Maritime AI™ Different?

Windward’s Maritime AI™ platform stands apart by delivering more than simple compliance checklists, as it empowers users with intelligent, predictive tools grounded in expert maritime knowledge. 

The platform applies behavioral maritime intelligence, with AI models trained by seasoned industry professionals to detect both typical and anomalous vessel behaviors. Its DSP identification models lead the industry in uncovering complex sanctions compliance risks. 

Windward also offers a no-code integration framework, ensuring quick and frictionless adoption across operational environments. For added transparency and collaboration, the platform includes shareable compliance dashboards, enabling teams to communicate risk status internally or with third parties.