Worried about hijackings, piracy and kidnappings on the high seas? There’s an app for that.
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has released its first mobile app, the Anti-Shipping Activity Message, on iTunes, in order to help ship crews guard against hostile acts around the world.
“We are providing a modern solution to an age-old issue – piracy,” said NGA Director Robert Cardillo. “By making ASAM available on commercial app stores, we’ve truly embraced the idea of getting our geospatial intelligence GEOINT into the hands of our customers.
The app can be downloaded and used offline as well, and the database of recent hostile maritime acts that powers the app, as well as the app software code, is available to the general public. The application was made in collaboration with consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton.
The agency is also exploring ways to enhance the app in order to help sailors identify risk as well as ways to keep pirates from accessing the same tools and databases.
