Haiti Maritime Domain Assessment

Figure 3

Exclusive Economic Zone: Greater Antilles + Bahamas

Source: BARSS Research | EEDTM

Purpose: Formal economic analysis of Haiti's maritime domain compared to Caribbean peers and global benchmarks. Data precision level suitable for EEDTM integration and Brattle report generation.

Created: 2026-03-20

Sources: VLIZ/Flanders Marine Institute (Marine Regions), CIA World Factbook, FAO WECAFC, UNCTAD, IMF, World Bank, Sea Around Us, UN DOALOS

PART I: HAITI'S MARITIME ZONES

1. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

Metric	Value	Source
EEZ Total Area	126,760 km2 (48,940 sq mi)	VLIZ Marine Regions (MRGID 8408)
EEZ Extent	200 nautical miles (370.4 km) from baseline	Haiti Declaration 1977; UNCLOS Art. 57
EEZ Declared	1977 (Declaration by Haitian Government)	UN DOALOS HTI file

2. Territorial Sea (12 NM)

Metric	Value	Source
Territorial Sea Breadth	12 nautical miles (22.2 km)	Haiti Constitution; UNCLOS Art. 3
Territorial Sea Area	~9,800-10,500 km2 (estimated)	Derived from coastline geometry
Marine Regions MRGID	49128	marineregions.org

3. Contiguous Zone (24 NM)

Metric	Value	Source
Contiguous Zone Breadth	24 nautical miles (44.4 km)	UNCLOS Art. 33
Contiguous Zone Area	~19,000-21,000 km2 (estimated)	Derived; area between 12-24 NM

4. Continental Shelf

Metric	Value	Source
Continental Shelf Claim	To 200 NM or natural prolongation	UNCLOS Art. 76
Extended Shelf Claim (CLCS)	NO SUBMISSION FILED	UN CLCS submissions register
CLCS Deadline	July 31, 2006 (10 years from accession)	UNCLOS + 1996 accession date
Status	Deadline MISSED; preliminary information also not filed	UN DOALOS

NOTE: Haiti missed its 10-year CLCS deadline. Some states that missed the deadline filed preliminary information to preserve rights. Haiti did not file even that. This is a forfeited maritime asset.

5. Coastline

Metric	Value	Source
Coastline Length	1,771 km (1,100 mi)	CIA World Factbook
Ranking (Greater Antilles)	2nd longest (after Cuba)	CIA World Factbook
Coastline Character	Deeply indented; two major peninsulas (Tiburon, Nord-Ouest)	Geography

6. Key Ratios

Metric	Value	Calculation
Land Area	27,750 km2	CIA World Factbook
EEZ-to-Land Ratio	4.57:1	126,760 / 27,750
Population	~11.7 million (2024 est.)	World Bank
EEZ per Capita	0.0108 km2/person (10,800 m2)	126,760 / 11,700,000
Coastline per 1000 pop	0.151 km	1,771 / 11,700

PART II: UNCLOS & LEGAL STATUS

UNCLOS Ratification

Metric	Value
UNCLOS Signed	December 10, 1982 (Montego Bay)
UNCLOS Accession	July 31, 1996
Entry into Force (for Haiti)	August 30, 1996
Party Status	FULL PARTY

Maritime Boundary Agreements

Agreement	Date Signed	Entry into Force	Type
Cuba-Haiti	October 27, 1977 (Havana)	January 6, 1978	Equidistant line through Windward Passage
Colombia-Haiti	February 17, 1978	December 16, 1999	Single geodesic line ~65 NM
Haiti-Jamaica	NOT CONCLUDED	N/A	Blocked by Navassa Island dispute
Haiti-Bahamas/TCI	NOT CONCLUDED	N/A	No known negotiations
Haiti-Dominican Republic	NOT CONCLUDED	N/A	Land border disputed; maritime boundary unresolved

EEZ Boundary Neighbors

Neighbor	Direction	Status
Cuba	North (Windward Passage)	AGREED (1977)
Jamaica	Southwest	UNRESOLVED (Navassa Island)
Colombia	Southwest (distant)	AGREED (1978, in force 1999)
Bahamas	North/Northwest	UNRESOLVED
Turks & Caicos (UK)	Northeast	UNRESOLVED
Dominican Republic	East (Hispaniola)	UNRESOLVED
United States (Navassa)	West	DISPUTED

The Navassa Island Problem

Navassa Island (La Navase) sits ~55 km west of Haiti's Tiburon Peninsula. The sovereignty dispute between Haiti and the United States has cascading effects:

US Claim: Guano Islands Act (1856); administered by US Fish & Wildlife Service
Haiti Claim: Treaty of Ryswick (1697); Haitian Constitution claims Navassa
Impact: Prevents delimitation of Haiti-Jamaica maritime boundary; reduces Haiti's effective EEZ to the west
EEZ Implication: If Navassa were recognized as Haitian, Haiti's EEZ could expand by an estimated 10,000-15,000 km2 to the west/southwest
Strategic Note: Navassa generates an overlapping claim zone (Marine Regions MRGID 48951) involving US, Haiti, and Jamaica

PART III: COMPARATIVE EEZ DATA

A. Caribbean Nations

Country	EEZ (km2)	Land Area (km2)	Coastline (km)	Population	EEZ:Land Ratio	EEZ/Capita (km2)
Bahamas	654,715	13,878	3,542	412,000	47.2:1	1.589
Cuba	350,751	109,884	3,735	11,200,000	3.2:1	0.031
Jamaica	263,284	10,991	1,022	2,820,000	24.0:1	0.093
Barbados	186,898	430	97	288,000	434.6:1	0.649
Haiti	126,760	27,750	1,771	11,700,000	4.6:1	0.011
Trinidad & Tobago	77,502	5,131	362	1,530,000	15.1:1	0.051
Guyana	137,765	214,969	459	808,000	0.6:1	0.170
Suriname	127,772	163,820	386	618,000	0.8:1	0.207
Dominican Republic	263,598	48,671	1,288	11,230,000	5.4:1	0.023
Belize	35,295	22,966	386	441,000	1.5:1	0.080
Antigua & Barbuda	107,338	442	153	100,000	242.8:1	1.073
St. Kitts & Nevis	10,204	261	135	48,000	39.1:1	0.213
Grenada	26,060	344	121	125,000	75.8:1	0.208
St. Vincent & Grenadines	36,301	389	84	101,000	93.3:1	0.359
Dominica	28,824	751	148	73,000	38.4:1	0.395
St. Lucia	15,166	616	158	184,000	24.6:1	0.082

B. Regional Comparators (Latin America)

Country	EEZ (km2)	Land Area (km2)	Coastline (km)	Population	EEZ:Land Ratio	EEZ/Capita (km2)
Mexico	3,269,386	1,964,375	9,330	130,000,000	1.7:1	0.025
Colombia	928,660	1,141,748	3,208	52,000,000	0.8:1	0.018
Venezuela	471,507	912,050	2,800	28,400,000	0.5:1	0.017
Panama	330,470	75,420	2,490	4,400,000	4.4:1	0.075
Liberia	246,108	111,369	579	5,400,000	2.2:1	0.046

C. Pacific Island States (Large EEZ Benchmark)

Country	EEZ (km2)	Land Area (km2)	Population	EEZ:Land Ratio	EEZ/Capita (km2)
Kiribati	3,441,810	811	131,000	4,243:1	26.3
Micronesia (FSM)	2,996,419	702	114,000	4,269:1	26.3
Marshall Islands	1,990,530	181	42,000	10,997:1	47.4
Palau	603,978	459	18,000	1,316:1	33.6
Tuvalu	749,790	26	12,000	28,838:1	62.5

PART IV: HAITI'S EEZ IN CONTEXT

Haiti's Maritime Disadvantage

Among Hispaniola neighbors and Greater Antilles:

Metric	Haiti	DR	Jamaica	Cuba	Bahamas
EEZ (km2)	126,760	263,598	263,284	350,751	654,715
Population	11.7M	11.2M	2.8M	11.2M	0.4M
EEZ/Capita	0.011	0.024	0.093	0.031	1.589
Rank (EEZ/capita)	LAST	4th	2nd	3rd	1st

Haiti has the smallest EEZ per capita of any Caribbean nation and one of the smallest in the world among island states. Despite sharing Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, Haiti's EEZ is roughly HALF the DR's (126,760 vs 263,598 km2), largely because:

The DR has coastline on both the Atlantic and Caribbean, while Haiti's northern coast faces the Windward Passage (shared with Cuba)
The Navassa Island dispute shrinks Haiti's western EEZ claim
Unresolved boundaries with Jamaica, Bahamas, TCI, and DR compress Haiti's effective zone
Haiti's two peninsulas create a deep bight (Golfe de la Gonave) that is largely internal waters, not EEZ

The EEZ Compression Effect

Haiti's 126,760 km2 EEZ is constrained on ALL sides:

North: Cuba (Windward Passage, equidistant line agreed 1977)
West: United States (Navassa dispute)
Southwest: Jamaica (unresolved, blocked by Navassa)
South/Southwest: Colombia (agreed 1978, distant)
East: Dominican Republic (no maritime boundary)
Northeast: Turks & Caicos/Bahamas (no agreement)

This means Haiti's theoretical 200 NM zone is compressed to an effective radius much smaller than 200 NM in most directions.

PART V: MARITIME REVENUE COMPARISON

What Haiti Earns from Its EEZ

Revenue Source	Haiti Annual Revenue	Status
Foreign fishing licenses	Near zero / unknown	No systematic licensing regime for foreign vessels
EEZ transit fees	$0	Haiti charges no transit fees
Seabed mining royalties	$0	No exploration or extraction
Marine biotechnology	$0	No program
Fisheries production value	~$30-50M (estimated)	Almost entirely artisanal, domestic consumption
Total estimated maritime revenue	~$30-50M
Revenue per km2 of EEZ	~$0.24-0.39/km2

Haiti Fisheries Profile

Metric	Value	Source
Annual marine catch	~5,000 tonnes (official); ~20,000-30,000 tonnes (estimated incl. unreported)	FAO, UNCTAD
Fisheries employment	115,000 direct; 416,000 livelihoods	UNCTAD
Artisanal share	>82% of total production	UNCTAD
Fleet	~30,000 small boats, mostly unpowered	FAO
Processing infrastructure	Near zero	UNCTAD
Monitoring/enforcement	Near zero; no coast guard capacity	Multiple
Fishing sector % of GDP	<1%	World Bank
Agriculture+forestry+fishing % GDP	~20% (2023: $2.19B total ag sector)	World Bank

What Caribbean Peers Earn

Jamaica

Metric	Value	Source
EEZ Area	263,284 km2	VLIZ
Annual fisheries production	14,583 tonnes (2023)	Jamaica NFA
Fisheries value	US$195.3M (2023)	Jamaica NFA
Fisheries % GDP	1.04% (2023)	Jamaica NFA
Blue economy % GDP	7% (potential to double)	CaPRI 2024
Revenue per km2 EEZ	~$741/km2 (fisheries only)	Derived

Bahamas

Metric	Value	Source
EEZ Area	654,715 km2	VLIZ
Fishing industry value-added	US$1.2B GDP contribution	Multiple
Fishing industry employment	26,917 jobs	Economic impact study
Fishing total sales	US$2.2B	Economic impact study
Fishing % GDP (broad measure)	~20% (incl. recreational, full value chain)	Economic impact study
Key species	Spiny lobster, Queen Conch, Nassau Grouper	FAO
Revenue per km2 EEZ	~$1,832/km2 (fisheries value-added)	Derived

Barbados

Metric	Value	Source
EEZ Area	186,898 km2 (432x land area)	VLIZ
Fishing employment	~6,600	UNCTAD
Tuna fishery value	BDS$6.6-10M (~US$3.3-5M)	UN/FAO
Blue bonds	Active (TNC partnership)	TNC
Revenue per km2 EEZ	~$18-27/km2 (tuna only; other species additional)	Derived

Kiribati (Gold Standard for EEZ Revenue)

Metric	Value	Source
EEZ Area	3,441,810 km2	VLIZ
Fishing license revenue (2015 peak)	US$207.1M (91% of GDP)	IMF/Kiribati MoF
Fishing license revenue (2020)	~US$150-170M (~70% of govt revenue)	IMF
Vessel Day Scheme (VDS)	Implemented 2012; revolutionary pricing mechanism	PNA
Revenue growth	$29.1M (2011) to $207.1M (2015) = 711% increase in 4 years	Kiribati MoF
Revenue per km2 EEZ	~$44-60/km2	Derived

Revenue Per km2 Comparison

Country	EEZ (km2)	Est. Maritime Revenue	Rev/km2 EEZ	Haiti Multiple
Haiti	126,760	~$30-50M	~$0.30/km2	1.0x
Barbados	186,898	~$5-15M	~$27-80/km2	~90-267x
Kiribati	3,441,810	~$150-207M	~$44-60/km2	~147-200x
Jamaica	263,284	~$195M	~$741/km2	~2,470x
Bahamas	654,715	~$1,200M (value-added)	~$1,832/km2	~6,107x

Haiti generates roughly $0.30 per km2 of EEZ. Jamaica generates $741. The Bahamas generates $1,832. Haiti's maritime capture rate is approximately 0.02-0.04% of what comparable Caribbean nations achieve.

PART VI: THEORETICAL REVENUE POTENTIAL

Scenario Analysis: If Haiti's EEZ Were Managed Like Peers

Scenario	Benchmark	Revenue/km2	Haiti Potential Revenue	Current Revenue	Gap
Kiribati model (fishing licenses only)	$50/km2	$50	$6.3M	~$0.3M	$6.0M
Barbados model (mixed fisheries)	$80/km2	$80	$10.1M	~$0.3M	$9.8M
Jamaica model (developed fisheries)	$741/km2	$741	$93.9M	~$30-50M	$44-64M
Bahamas model (full blue economy)	$1,832/km2	$1,832	$232.2M	~$30-50M	$182-202M

Conservative Estimate: Fishing Licenses Alone

If Haiti simply issued fishing licenses to foreign vessels at rates comparable to Pacific Island states:

Kiribati VDS rate: ~$8,000-12,000 per vessel-day
Haiti EEZ tuna potential: Caribbean tuna fisheries are smaller than Pacific, but ICCAT data shows significant yellowfin and bigeye tuna transit through Haiti's EEZ
Conservative licensing revenue: 50-100 vessel-days/year at $5,000/day = $250K-$500K from licensing alone
Current licensing revenue: Effectively $0

Medium-Term Blue Economy Potential

Revenue Stream	5-Year Potential	Notes
Foreign fishing licenses	$2-5M/year	Requires monitoring capability
Domestic fisheries modernization	$100-200M/year	UNCTAD roadmap exists
Marine tourism (EEZ-based)	$10-30M/year	Whale watching, sport fishing, diving
Seabed mineral exploration fees	$1-5M/year	Requires geological survey
Carbon credits (blue carbon)	$5-15M/year	Mangrove/seagrass restoration
Shipping lane transit fees	$0 (politically infeasible)	Would require UNCLOS amendment
Total potential	$118-255M/year	vs current ~$30-50M

PART VII: EEDTM INTEGRATION

Haiti's Maritime Extraction Theta

The maritime domain represents another vector of extraction from Haiti:

Current State:

Haiti's EEZ generates ~$0.30/km2 in revenue
Caribbean average (Jamaica/Bahamas weighted) is ~$1,000+/km2
Haiti captures approximately 0.03% of the value its Caribbean peers extract from equivalent maritime space

IUU Fishing as Extraction:

Foreign vessels (primarily from neighboring countries) fish Haiti's EEZ without licenses
IUU fishing globally captures 20-50% of total catch in poorly governed waters
Estimated IUU catch in Haiti's EEZ: 5,000-15,000 tonnes/year
Value of IUU extraction: $10-50M/year taken from Haiti's waters without compensation

The Maritime Theta:

If we model total EEZ value (fish + minerals + services) and compare what Haiti captures vs what is extracted:

Total value in Haiti's EEZ (caught/extracted): ~$50-100M/year (including IUU)
Haiti's government capture: ~$0-2M/year (no licensing, no enforcement)
Maritime Theta: ~0.96-0.98 (Haiti captures 2-4% of its own maritime value; 96-98% is extracted by foreign actors or simply forfeited)

The Navassa Extraction

The US claim on Navassa Island is itself an act of maritime extraction:

Navassa generates a potential 10,000-15,000 km2 of EEZ for its controller
At Caribbean average revenue rates, this is worth $10-15M/year
The US has controlled this since 1857 under the Guano Islands Act (a colonial-era resource extraction statute)
Haiti has claimed Navassa since independence (1804) and through its Constitution

Continental Shelf: A Forfeited Asset

Haiti's failure to file a CLCS submission by the 2006 deadline means it has potentially forfeited extended continental shelf rights. While the legal effect of missing the deadline is debated, Haiti's failure to even file preliminary information suggests either:

No institutional capacity to conduct the required geological survey
No awareness of the deadline
No political will to assert maritime claims

This is consistent with the broader EEDTM pattern: extraction-weakened states lose the institutional capacity to assert their own rights, creating a self-reinforcing cycle.

PART VIII: KEY FINDINGS & STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS

10 Key Findings

Haiti's EEZ (126,760 km2) is the smallest per capita in the Caribbean at 0.011 km2/person
Haiti earns ~$0.30/km2 from its EEZ vs Jamaica's $741/km2 and Bahamas' $1,832/km2
Haiti has NO systematic foreign fishing license regime despite foreign vessels operating in its waters
Four of Haiti's six maritime boundaries remain unresolved (Jamaica, DR, Bahamas, TCI)
The Navassa Island dispute with the US costs Haiti 10,000-15,000 km2 of EEZ
Haiti missed its CLCS extended continental shelf deadline (2006) and filed no preliminary information
IUU fishing extracts an estimated $10-50M/year from Haiti's EEZ without compensation
Haiti acceded to UNCLOS in 1996 but has not built the institutional capacity to exercise its maritime rights
Maritime Theta ~0.96-0.98: Haiti captures only 2-4% of the value in its own EEZ
If managed like Jamaica, Haiti's EEZ could generate ~$94M/year vs current ~$30-50M (mostly artisanal, domestic)

Strategic Implications for BARSS

New Extraction Vector: Haiti's maritime domain is a previously unquantified extraction vector in the EEDTM framework
Navassa as Active US Extraction: The US Guano Islands Act claim on Navassa is a live, ongoing extraction that could be quantified and litigated
CNHRR Application: Haiti's maritime rights (EEZ, continental shelf, Navassa) should be part of any comprehensive restitution claim
Comparison with Liberia: Liberia's EEZ (246,108 km2) is nearly double Haiti's, but LISCR controls Liberia's ship registry (world's 2nd largest). Haiti has no comparable maritime revenue capture mechanism
Phoenix Zone / SAKALA Integration: Any sustainable development plan for Haiti must include maritime domain management as a revenue source

SOURCES

Primary Data Sources

[Marine Regions - Haiti EEZ (MRGID 8408)](https://www.marineregions.org/gazetteer.php?p=details&id=8408)
[Marine Regions - Haiti Territorial Sea (MRGID 49128)](http://marineregions.org/mrgid/49128)
[UN DOALOS - Haiti State File](https://www.un.org/depts/los/LEGISLATIONANDTREATIES/STATEFILES/HTI.htm)
[UN CLCS Submissions Register](https://www.un.org/depts/los/clcs_new/commission_submissions.htm)
[CIA World Factbook - Haiti](https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/haiti/)
[Haiti Maritime Claims (Index Mundi)](https://www.indexmundi.com/haiti/maritime_claims.html)

Fisheries & Revenue Sources

[UNCTAD - Unlocking Haiti's Fisheries Potential](https://unctad.org/news/unlocking-potential-haitis-fisheries-and-aquaculture-sectors)
[Jamaica Fisheries Quarterly Statistics Report](https://www.fisheries.gov.jm/)
[Jamaica Information Service - Fisheries GDP](https://jis.gov.jm/fisheries-sector-contributes-over-30-billion-to-gdp/)
[Kiribati Fishing License Revenue Report 2018-2022](https://mfed.gov.ki/node/87)
[FAO WECAFC - Land vs Sea](https://www.fao.org/wecafc/data/landversussea/en/)
[ICES Journal - Blue Economy Review, Caribbean](https://academic.oup.com/icesjms/article/80/8/2233/6988643)
[Barbados Blue Economy](https://bluconomy.com/)

Maritime Boundary Sources

[Cuba-Haiti Maritime Boundary Agreement (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba%E2%80%93Haiti_Maritime_Boundary_Agreement)
[Colombia-Haiti Maritime Boundary (Sovereign Limits)](https://sovereignlimits.com/boundaries/colombia-haiti-maritime)
[Navassa Island (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navassa_Island)
[Haiti's Claim over Navassa Island (WMU)](https://commons.wmu.se/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1473&context=all_dissertations)
[Marine Regions - Navassa Overlapping Claim (MRGID 48951)](https://www.marineregions.org/gazetteer.php?p=details&id=48951)

UNCLOS Sources

[List of UNCLOS Parties (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_parties_to_the_United_Nations_Convention_on_the_Law_of_the_Sea)
[Haiti 1977 EEZ Declaration (UN)](https://www.un.org/depts/los/LEGISLATIONANDTREATIES/PDFFILES/HTI_1977_Declaration.pdf)

Comparative Data

[Geography of Haiti (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Haiti)
[Geography of Jamaica (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Jamaica)
[Geography of Bahamas (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_the_Bahamas)
[Exclusive Economic Zone (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_economic_zone)
[EEZ vs Land Area (ssz.fr)](https://ssz.fr/eez/)
[WorldAtlas - Largest EEZs](https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/countries-with-the-largest-exclusive-economic-zones.html)
[Caribbean Maritime Boundary Delimitations (Durham/IBRU)](https://www.durham.ac.uk/media/durham-university/research-/research-centres/ibru-centre-for-borders-research/maps-and-databases/publications-database/Maritime-Briefings-(Vol.-2-no.-5).pdf)

Haiti EEZ Maritime Comprehensive Analysis | Created: 2026-03-20

For BARSS Case Integration: This document supports Case #XX (Haiti Maritime Extraction)

Figure 2

64,008 Hours of Ghost Ship Activity in Haiti's EEZ

Source: BARSS Research | EEDTM

Purpose: Document the opacity flag states whose vessels concentrate in Haiti's EEZ at non-commercial locations, building the statistical case for illicit activity.

Date: 2026-03-20

Status: Research compilation

Executive Summary

Seven flag states in our Haiti EEZ vessel tracking data are confirmed ITF Flags of Convenience, Paris MOU black/grey-listed, or both. All seven share characteristics that make them attractive to operators seeking to avoid detection: minimal due diligence, no genuine link requirements, poor inspection regimes, and in several cases, administration by private companies in third countries with no connection to the flag state. The concentration of these flags at Ile de la Gonave... an island with no commercial port, only a basic ferry wharf, and documented as a human trafficking hub... constitutes strong statistical evidence of illicit maritime activity.

1. BOLIVIA (10,488 hours in Haiti EEZ)

The Absurdity: A Landlocked Flag State

Bolivia lost its coastline to Chile in the War of the Pacific (1879-1884). It maintains maritime registration rights under the 1921 Barcelona Declaration recognising the Right to a Flag of States having no Sea-coast.

Registry Details

Attribute	Detail
Registry Name	Registro Internacional Boliviano de Buques (RIBB)
Administrator	Government (Defense Ministry technical organization)
Established	1975
Registry Type	Open registry
ITF FOC Status	YES - Listed as Flag of Convenience
Paris MOU Status	Not on Paris MOU list (too few inspections to rate), but US Coast Guard: HIGH RISK
Fleet Size	~42 vessels (27 general cargo, 1 oil tanker, 14 other)
Registration Cost	~$3,195-$3,555 (incorporation), plus annual flag taxes
Recognized Organizations	DromonClass (Greek classification society), Sing-Lloyd

Why Bolivia's Flag Is a Red Flag

No coastline = no inspections. Bolivia cannot physically inspect vessels flying its flag. It has no ports, no coast guard presence, no maritime infrastructure. Flag state obligations under SOLAS, MARPOL, and STCW are effectively unenforceable.
Minimal fleet, minimal oversight. With ~42 registered vessels globally, the registry generates negligible revenue and has no institutional capacity for compliance monitoring.
Recognized by obscure classification societies. DromonClass (Greece) and Sing-Lloyd are not among the major IACS classification societies. These are the societies that attract registries other societies won't touch.
The "last resort" flag question. Bolivia's registry attracts vessels that need a flag but may not qualify with more regulated registries. A Bolivia-flagged vessel spending 10,488 hours in Haiti's EEZ raises the immediate question: what legitimate commercial purpose brings a Bolivia-registered ship to waters off a country with which Bolivia has no significant trade relationship?

Known Incidents

No specific Bolivia-flagged vessel incidents documented in Caribbean enforcement databases. This is itself significant... it suggests either (a) the vessels go unintercepted, or (b) the flag is used for activities that don't trigger standard maritime interdiction (e.g., fishing, anchoring/loitering rather than port calls).

2. TOGO (12,062 hours in Haiti EEZ, concentrated at Ile de la Gonave)

Registry Details

Attribute	Detail
Registry Name	Togo Maritime Registry
Administrator	PRIVATIZED - International Registration Bureau (IRB), offices in Lebanon and Greece
Established	2008 (current privatized form)
Registry Type	Open registry (privatized)
ITF FOC Status	YES
Paris MOU Status	BLACK LIST (Medium Risk category, 2025-2026 list)
Tokyo MOU	Listed negatively
Fleet Size	~250 vessels
US Coast Guard	Targeted flag

Why Togo Is Among the Worst Flags in the World

Privatized registry run from Lebanon and Greece. The International Registration Bureau (IRB), founded 2008, operates as the exclusive registrar for Togo's flag from offices in Beirut and Athens. Togo's own government has limited direct control.
US State Department intervention. There have been direct meetings between IRB, the Togo government, and the US Department of State "over the registry's failings, with several ships discovered trafficking drugs."
"Embarrassing" violations. Lloyd's List reported "Togo turmoil over flag registry status after 'embarrassing' violations."
Provisional certificate abuse. Togo issues provisional certificates of registry with minimal due diligence. Vessels obtain provisional registration, operate under Togo's flag, then "hop" to another flag before the provisional period expires... a technique specifically designed to avoid accountability.
End-of-life flag. Togo is "excessively popular for end-of-life vessels broken in beaching facilities"... vessels at the end of their operational life that no legitimate registry will touch.
Numerous vessel losses. Multiple deaths of ships flying the flag of Togo due to storms, reflecting the poor condition of vessels attracted to this flag.

KEY INCIDENT: Norma H II (Togo-flagged, $27M cash seizure in Caribbean)

Date: September 5, 2020

Location: Pier 10, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Vessel: M/V Norma H II (IMO 7228716, built 1974)

Flag: Togo (MMSI 671932000, callsign 5VFB9)

Seizure: $27 million in US currency found in 34 unmanifested cargo boxes

Destination: St. Thomas, USVI

Agencies: CBP, DEA, HSI, US Attorney PR

A CBP K-9 detected currency in un-manifested pallets. Officers discovered vacuum-sealed packages of US currency in moving boxes. This was described as a "historic" seizure. The vessel was a Togo-flagged freighter operating Caribbean cargo routes... exactly the profile of vessels in our Haiti EEZ data.

Additional Incident: MV Raider

French naval forces intercepted the MV Raider with drugs on board. The vessel held a "Provisional Certificate of Registry" from the Togo Maritime Authority dated November 19, 2025... demonstrating the provisional certificate abuse pathway.

3. VANUATU (13,344 hours in Haiti EEZ)

Registry Details

Attribute	Detail
Registry Name	Vanuatu International Shipping Registry (VISR)
Administrator	Government + private (New York office under investigation)
Established	1981
Registry Type	Open registry
ITF FOC Status	YES
Paris MOU Status	BLACK LIST (Medium to High Risk, 2025-2026)
US Coast Guard	HIGH RISK / Targeted Flag List
Commission of Inquiry	Active investigation into registry operations

Why Vanuatu Is a Critical Opacity Flag

Government Commission of Inquiry into its own registry. Vanuatu's Minister of Justice appointed a Commission of Inquiry (2023) to investigate "allegations of misconduct and irregularities, particularly in its New York office." The Commission (chaired by Markmon Batie, 6 members) is examining the vessel registration process, compliance with international maritime laws, financial management, and oversight mechanisms.
Fraudulent registry impersonation. Unknown international operators established an "unauthorized and fraudulent website" copying the official registry's branding. Vanuatu became the third Pacific country in one month to report false flag operations... indicating systematic exploitation of Pacific island registries.
Dark fleet participation. Vanuatu is "among registries that flagged vessels in the dark fleet" and is described as "a rare exception" among registries willing to flag Western-sanctioned ships. Tankers newly reflagged to Vanuatu demonstrate that "not all sanctions are equal."
Self-described tax haven. Vanuatu's own Maritime Safety Commission acknowledged that shipping companies "really like Vanuatu" because it has become a "tax haven."
US enforcement response. Placement on the US Coast Guard Targeted Flag List means ALL Vanuatu-flagged vessels receive additional inspections... making Vanuatu vessels costly for legitimate operators, which further concentrates the flag among non-legitimate operators.

4. COMOROS (84 hours in Haiti EEZ)

Registry Details

Attribute	Detail
Registry Name	Union of Comoros Maritime Administration
Administrator	PRIVATIZED - Intershipping Services LLC (UAE/Dubai) + offices in Ukraine, India, Bulgaria, Greece
ITF FOC Status	YES
Paris MOU Status	BLACK LIST (High Risk... the ONLY flag in this category)
US Coast Guard	HIGH RISK
EU Sanctions	OPERATOR SANCTIONED (Intershipping Services LLC, EU 18th package)
Dark Fleet Role	38% of sanctioned dark fleet tonnage (>20,000 dwt)

Why Comoros Is the Gold Standard of Opacity

EU-sanctioned registry operator. Intershipping Services LLC, the company that operates both the Comoros and Gabon registries, was directly sanctioned by the EU and UK... the first time any sanctioning body targeted a company behind a flag registry. The company is headquartered in a Dubai condominium tower and operates through family relationships and subsidiary offices in Mumbai.
38% of the dark fleet. Comoros flagged 38% of all sanctioned dark fleet tonnage over 20,000 dwt that was not falsely flagged. This is the single largest share of any flag state.
62+ false-flagged tankers. Comoros identified 62 tankers, 3 LPG carriers, and 1 tug as falsely flying its flag. All but one were sanctioned by the US, EU, or UK and engaged in Russian, Iranian, or Venezuelan trades.
Crew abandonment. One of the three most commonly-encountered flags in crew-abandonment cases (ITF data).
The ONLY "High Risk" flag on Paris MOU. While other flags are "Medium Risk" or "Very High Risk" on the black list, Comoros occupies its own unique category.

Even at only 84 hours in Haiti's EEZ, a Comoros-flagged vessel is an extreme outlier. There is no legitimate commercial reason for a vessel registered under the most opaque flag in the world... a flag whose own operator has been sanctioned by the EU... to be present in Haitian waters.

5. TANZANIA / ZANZIBAR (3,527 hours in Haiti EEZ)

Registry Details

Attribute	Detail
Registry Name	Tanzania (Zanzibar) Maritime Authority
ITF FOC Status	YES (listed as "Tanzania (Zanzibar)")
Paris MOU Status	BLACK LIST (Very High Risk... worst category)
Registry Note	Zanzibar operates semi-autonomous registry separate from mainland Tanzania

Key Incident: FMS Eagle ($165M cocaine seizure, Feb 2026)

Date: February 19, 2026

Location: La Union, El Salvador (611 km offshore)

Vessel: FMS Eagle (180 feet, Tanzania/Zanzibar-flagged)

Seizure: 6.6 tonnes of cocaine (330 packages hidden in ballast tanks)

Value: $165 million

Significance: Largest drug seizure in El Salvador's history

Tanzania confirmed the vessel was registered in Zanzibar and subsequently deregistered it. The incident contributed to Tanzania's rating as one of the worst-performing flag states globally... negatively listed by THREE separate port inspection regimes.

This seizure occurred one month before our data snapshot. The same flag that produced the largest cocaine seizure in Central American history had vessels logging 3,527 hours in Haiti's EEZ.

6. HONDURAS (5,331 hours in Haiti EEZ)

Registry Details

Attribute	Detail
Registry Name	General Directorate of the Merchant Marine (DGMM)
Administrator	Government (Ship Registry Department)
Established	1943 (closed 1982, reopened 1995)
Registry Type	Open registry
ITF FOC Status	YES
Paris MOU Status	Not rated (insufficient inspections in Paris MOU area)

The Closure and Reopening

Honduras shut down its open registry in 1982 because it had enabled "illegal traffic of all kinds and had given Honduras a bad name." The registry was reopened in 1995 under new legislation (Organic Law of the Merchant Marine, 1994) designed to attract larger vessels.

The fact that Honduras itself acknowledged its registry facilitated "illegal traffic of all kinds" is a remarkable admission. The registry was reopened with updated procedures, but the fundamental structure remains an open registry with no genuine link requirement.

Geographic Proximity

Honduras is the only flag state in our data with geographic proximity to Haiti. However, there is no significant Honduras-Haiti bilateral trade that would explain 5,331 hours of vessel presence.

7. ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES (19,172 hours... 7.7% of Haiti's total EEZ traffic)

Registry Details

Attribute	Detail
Registry Name	SVG Maritime Administration
Administrator	Commissioner for Maritime Affairs (offices in Switzerland, Monaco, Greece, Hong Kong, London, Dubai, Fort Lauderdale)
Established	1982 (Merchant Shipping Act)
Registry Type	Open registry
ITF FOC Status	YES
Paris MOU Status	Grey to Black listed (poor implementation of international standards)
Fleet Size	One of the world's largest open registries

Why SVG Matters

Registration in 24 hours. SVG advertises quick ship and mortgage registration "within 24 hours" from offices spanning six countries and four continents. The Commissioner for Maritime Affairs operates from Switzerland and Monaco... not from St. Vincent.
Volume flag. SVG is "one of the world's most important open flag registries." The sheer volume (19,172 hours, 7.7% of Haiti's EEZ traffic) makes it the largest single opacity flag contributor to Haiti's maritime space.
End-of-life preference. Like Togo and Tanzania, SVG is "excessively popular for end-of-life vessels"... old, poorly maintained ships that no first-tier registry will accept.
Caribbean location. SVG is the only Caribbean flag state in our opacity set, which could provide legitimate cover for regional trade. However, the concentration at Ile de la Gonave (no commercial port) distinguishes this traffic from legitimate inter-island commerce.

8. THE "GRAVEYARD FLAGS" HIERARCHY

Based on this research, a clear hierarchy of maritime opacity emerges:

Tier 1: Sanctioned/Extreme Opacity (No legitimate use case justifies these flags)

Comoros - EU-sanctioned operator, 38% of dark fleet, Paris MOU Black (only "High Risk" flag)
Cameroon - 13% of sanctioned dark fleet (Russia)
Gabon - EU-sanctioned operator (same as Comoros), fastest-growing register 2024

Tier 2: Documented Criminal Facilitation

Togo - US State Department intervention, $27M cash seizure (Norma H II), drug trafficking, Paris MOU Black
Tanzania/Zanzibar - $165M cocaine seizure (Feb 2026), Paris MOU Black (Very High Risk)
Bolivia - Landlocked, no inspection capacity, US Coast Guard High Risk

Tier 3: Structural Opacity (Investigation/Reform Underway)

Vanuatu - Government Commission of Inquiry, false flag impersonation, Paris MOU Black, dark fleet participant
Honduras - Self-closed in 1982 for enabling "illegal traffic of all kinds," reopened 1995

Tier 4: Volume Opacity (Massive open registries with weak oversight)

St. Vincent and the Grenadines - 24-hour registration, grey/black listed, end-of-life flag
Mongolia - Landlocked, similar profile to Bolivia
Myanmar, Moldova, etc. - Various structural deficiencies

The "Graveyard" Concept

Certain flags serve as the "last stop" for vessels that cannot register anywhere else:

During operational life: Vessels cycle through progressively lower-tier flags as their condition deteriorates
At end of life: Flags like Togo, Tanzania, SVG, Comoros, and Palau are "excessively popular for end-of-life vessels broken in beaching facilities"
For illicit operations: The same flags that attract end-of-life vessels attract illicit operators, because both seek the same thing... minimal scrutiny

9. JURISDICTION ANALYSIS

Who Has Jurisdiction Over Opacity-Flagged Vessels in Haiti's EEZ?

Under UNCLOS:

Zone	Primary Jurisdiction	Haiti's Rights
Territorial Sea (0-12 nm)	Haiti	Full sovereignty, can board/inspect/arrest
Contiguous Zone (12-24 nm)	Haiti (limited)	Can "prevent" customs/drug offenses
EEZ (24-200 nm)	Flag State	Economic rights only (fishing, resources); cannot board foreign vessels for criminal matters without flag state consent
High Seas	Flag State exclusively	No Haiti jurisdiction

The Enforcement Gap

This is the critical legal gap that opacity flags exploit:

In the EEZ: Haiti has economic jurisdiction (fishing, resource extraction) but NOT criminal jurisdiction over foreign-flagged vessels. To board a Bolivia-flagged vessel in Haiti's EEZ for suspected drug trafficking, Haiti would need to:
Contact Bolivia's maritime authority (which has no coast guard, no maritime enforcement capacity)
Obtain Bolivia's consent to board
Or invoke a bilateral agreement (none exists between Haiti and Bolivia)

Flag state responsibility is theoretical. Under UNCLOS, the flag state is responsible for ensuring compliance. But Bolivia has no capacity to enforce anything. Togo's registry is run from Lebanon. Comoros's operator is in Dubai (and EU-sanctioned). The entire system depends on flag states exercising jurisdiction they have no capacity or incentive to exercise.

The opacity arbitrage. By registering under a flag state that cannot or will not exercise jurisdiction, vessel operators create a legal vacuum. Haiti cannot act (not their jurisdiction over the vessel). Bolivia/Togo/Comoros will not act (no capacity, no incentive). The vessel operates in a zone of effective impunity.

Exception for narcotics. UNCLOS Article 108 requires all states to cooperate in suppression of illicit drug trafficking. Article 110 permits warship boarding on the high seas for suspected drug trafficking. But in the EEZ, even this exception requires flag state cooperation... which opacity flags are designed to frustrate.

10. CROSS-REFERENCE: ENFORCEMENT BODY FLAGGING

UNODC

UNODC Global Maritime Crime Programme has specifically identified Bolivia, Vanuatu, and other open registries as having "modest regulatory capacity"
UNODC's "Combating Transnational Organized Crime at Sea" issue paper documents how FOCs enable maritime crime
The "constructive presence" doctrine (UNODC Issue Paper 3, 2023) explores legal frameworks for addressing vessels that facilitate crime from beyond territorial waters

Global Financial Integrity (GFI)

GFI's two-part "Flags of Convenience: A Cloak for Illicit Maritime Activity" series directly documents the link between FOCs and Caribbean maritime crime
Specifically documents the Norma H II (Togo-flagged) $27M seizure in San Juan
Concludes that FOC registries "ask few questions" and "allow vessel owners to remain legally anonymous"

US Federal Investigation (2025)

Federal Register notice (May 22, 2025): "Investigation Into Flags of Convenience and Unfavorable Conditions Created by Certain Flagging Practices"... a formal US government investigation into FOC abuses

RUSI (Royal United Services Institute)

"Countering Shadow Fleet Activity through Flag State Reform" (2026)... proposes converting flag state responsibility into flag state liability

11. ILE DE LA GONAVE: THE CONVERGENCE POINT

Why Ile de la Gonave?

Factor	Detail
Commercial Port	NONE. Only facility is Carrieres ferry wharf (piles, no cargo handling, no storage)
Population	~80,000
Economy	Agriculture, fishing, livestock
Infrastructure	Minimal. No significant industrial or commercial activity
Documented Illicit Use	CNN reported La Gonave is "a hub for human traffickers" who buy boats for one-way voyages to the US
Geographic Position	Center of Gulf of Gonave, provides concealment from shore-based observation

The Statistical Argument

The concentration of Togo-flagged vessels (12,062 hours) at Ile de la Gonave... an island with no commercial port and documented human trafficking activity... cannot be explained by legitimate commercial activity. Combined with:

Bolivia-flagged vessels (10,488 hours)... from a landlocked country with no trade relationship with Haiti
Vanuatu-flagged vessels (13,344 hours)... a Pacific island flag under criminal investigation for registry fraud
The Norma H II precedent (Togo-flagged, $27M cash seizure in Caribbean)
The FMS Eagle precedent (Tanzania-flagged, $165M cocaine in Central America, Feb 2026)

...the pattern constitutes statistical evidence that opacity-flagged vessel concentrations at non-commercial locations in Haiti's EEZ indicate illicit maritime activity.

12. COMPOSITE FLAG OPACITY SCORE

For analytical purposes, we can construct a composite opacity score:

Flag	ITF FOC	Paris MOU Black	USCG High Risk	Documented Incidents	EU Sanctioned Operator	Opacity Score
Comoros	Yes	Yes (High Risk)	Yes	Dark fleet (38%)	YES	5/5
Togo	Yes	Yes (Medium Risk)	Yes	$27M cash, drugs	No	4/5
Tanzania	Yes	Yes (Very High Risk)	Yes	$165M cocaine	No	4/5
Vanuatu	Yes	Yes (Med-High Risk)	Yes	Dark fleet, fraud inquiry	No	4/5
Bolivia	Yes	N/R	Yes	Landlocked (structural)	No	3/5
Honduras	Yes	N/R	N/R	Self-closed 1982	No	2/5
SVG	Yes	Yes (grey-black)	N/R	Volume flag	No	2/5

Weighted by hours in Haiti EEZ:

Flag	Hours	% of Total	Opacity Score	Weighted Risk
SVG	19,172	7.7%	2	38,344
Vanuatu	13,344	-	4	53,376
Togo	12,062	-	4	48,248
Bolivia	10,488	-	3	31,464
Honduras	5,331	-	2	10,662
Tanzania	3,527	-	4	14,108
Comoros	84	-	5	420
TOTAL	64,008			196,622

Sources

Bolivia

[WMU Dissertation: Ship registry and flag state obligations for Bolivia](https://commons.wmu.se/all_dissertations/2272/)
[Guide to Ship Registries: Bolivia](https://guidetoshipregistries.com/shipregistries-country/bolivia)
[RIBB Official Website](https://www.ribb.gob.bo/?id=0&lang=en)
[Bolivia Ship Registration - International Ship Registry](https://intlshipregistry.com/bolivia-ship-registration/)
[Maritime Executive: Bolivia Authorizes DromonClass](https://maritime-executive.com/corporate/bolivia-authorizes-dromonclass)
[IndexMundi: Bolivia Merchant Marine](https://www.indexmundi.com/bolivia/merchant_marine.html)

Togo

[Lloyd's List: Congo, Togo and Comoros are worst-performing flag registries](https://www.lloydslist.com/LL1127946/)
[Lloyd's List: Togo turmoil over flag registry status](https://www.lloydslist.com/LL1143184/)
[International Registration Bureau - Togo Official Registrar](https://www.togoregistrar.com/)
[DOJ: $27 Million Seizure - Norma H II](https://www.justice.gov/usao-pr/pr/agents-seize-27-million-us-currency-inside-boxes-bound-st-thomas)
[CBP: $27 Million Found Inside Boxes Bound to St. Thomas](https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/cbp-san-juan-seized-27-million-found-inside-boxes-bound-st-thomas)
[Maritime Executive: Historic Seizure on Norma H II](https://www.maritime-executive.com/index.php/article/historic-seizure-cbp-finds-27m-in-hard-cash-aboard-freighter)

Vanuatu

[Vanuatu Commission of Inquiry into Shipping Registry](https://mjcs.gov.vu/index.php/news/168-the-commission-of-inquiry-into-vanuatu-shipping-registry)
[Maritime Executive: Vanuatu Alerts of False Flag Impostor](https://maritime-executive.com/article/vanuatu-alerts-of-false-flag-impostor-and-starts-investigation)
[Splash247: Fake Vanuatu registry exposes wider epidemic](https://splash247.com/fake-vanuatu-registry-exposes-wider-epidemic-of-fraudulent-flags/)
[The Diplomat: How Weak Flag Oversight Undermines Pacific Island States (Jan 2026)](https://thediplomat.com/2026/01/how-weak-flag-oversight-is-undermining-the-legitimacy-of-pacific-island-states/)
[Windward: Tankers Newly Reflagged to Vanuatu](https://windward.ai/blog/tankers-newly-reflagged-to-vanuatu-show-not-all-sanctions-are-equal/)

Comoros

[Maritime Executive: EU Sanctions Operator of Comoros and Gabon Registries](https://maritime-executive.com/article/eu-sanctions-operator-of-the-comoros-and-gabon-flag-registries)
[Windward: Comoros Dark Fleet Purge (60+ false-flagged tankers)](https://windward.ai/blog/comoros-dark-fleet-purge-sees-more-than-60-tankers-listed-as-false-flagged/)
[Windward: Inside the Dark Fleet - Fraudulent Registries & Flag Hopping](https://windward.ai/knowledge-base/false-flags-fraudulent-registries-and-the-dark-fleet/)
[SAFETY4SEA: Comoros de-flags vessels linked to shadow fleet](https://safety4sea.com/comoros-de-flags-vessels-linked-to-shadow-fleet-activity/)
[OpenSanctions: Intershipping Services LLC](https://www.opensanctions.org/entities/NK-cqubDotQ4aopgpxHYPrWkZ/)

Tanzania

[The Chanzo: Tanzania Confirms Deregistration of Ship Seized with 6.6 Tons of Cocaine (Feb 2026)](https://thechanzo.com/2026/02/27/flag-state-crisis-tanzania-confirms-deregistration-of-ship-seized-in-el-salvador-with-6-6-tons-of-cocaine)
[PBS: Mexico and El Salvador Make Big Cocaine Seizures at Sea](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/mexico-and-el-salvador-make-big-cocaine-seizures-at-sea-as-lethal-u-s-boat-strikes-continue)

Honduras

[General Directorate of the Merchant Marine of Honduras](https://merchantmarine.gob.hn/)
[Wikipedia: Flag of Convenience (Honduras 1982 closure)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_convenience)

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

[SVG Maritime Administration](http://www.svg-marad.com/)
[Guide to Ship Registries: SVG](https://guidetoshipregistries.com/shipregistries-country/st-vincent-grenadines)
[NGO Shipbreaking Platform: Flags of Convenience](https://shipbreakingplatform.org/issues-of-interest/focs/)

Dark Fleet / Shadow Fleet

[Windward: What Is the Dark Fleet?](https://windward.ai/blog/what-is-the-dark-fleet/)
[RUSI: Countering Shadow Fleet Activity through Flag State Reform](https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/insights-papers/countering-shadow-fleet-activity-through-flag-state-reform)
[Atlantic Council: Threats Posed by the Global Shadow Fleet](https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/report/the-threats-posed-by-the-global-shadow-fleet-and-how-to-stop-it/)
[Windward: Cameroon Pledges Crackdown on Ship Registry](https://windward.ai/blog/cameroon-pledges-crackdown-on-ship-registry-flagging-13-of-dark-fleet-tankers/)

Jurisdiction / UNCLOS

[UNODC: Flag State Jurisdiction and Transnational Organized Crime at Sea](https://www.unodc.org/documents/Maritime_crime/UNODC-GMCP_Flag_State_Jurisdiction_and_transnational_organized_crime_at_sea.pdf)
[UNODC: Combating Transnational Organized Crime at Sea](https://www.unodc.org/documents/organized-crime/GPTOC/Issue_Paper_-_TOC_at_Sea.pdf)
[UNODC: Constructive Presence (Issue Paper 3, 2023)](https://www.unodc.org/documents/Maritime_crime/UNODC_GMCP_Constructive_Presence.pdf)

Cross-Cutting

[GFI: Flags of Convenience: A Cloak for Illicit Maritime Activity (Part I)](https://gfintegrity.org/flags-of-convenience-a-cloak-for-illicit-maritime-activity-part-i/)
[GFI: Flags of Convenience Part Two: Enforcement Gaps](https://gfintegrity.org/flags-of-convenience-part-two-enforcement-gaps-and-a-registry-solution-part-ii/)
[ITF: Current Registries Listed as FOCs](https://www.itfseafarers.org/en/issues/flags-of-convenience/current-registries-listed-focs)
[Paris MOU Black List 2025-2026 (PDF)](https://parismou.org/system/files/2025-06/Paris%20MoU%20Black%20List%202024.pdf)
[Paris MOU White/Grey/Black Lists](https://parismou.org/Statistics&Current-Lists/white-grey-and-black-list)
[Federal Register: Investigation Into Flags of Convenience (May 2025)](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/05/22/2025-09236/investigation-into-flags-of-convenience-and-unfavorable-conditions-created-by-certain-flagging-practices)
[CIA World Factbook: Merchant Marine Comparison](https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/merchant-marine/country-comparison/)

Research compiled 2026-03-20 for BARSS Haiti EEZ Maritime Analysis

All seven flags confirmed ITF Flags of Convenience

Combined: 64,008 hours of opacity-flagged vessel time in Haiti's EEZ

Figure 4

18 Years of International Maritime Assistance to Haiti

Source: BARSS Research | EEDTM

Purpose: Synthesize IHO primary source documents (2008, 2017) with BARSS EEZ/opacity data to extract meta-insights about the relationship between institutional blindness and maritime extraction.

Primary Sources: IHO 2008 Technical Visit Report (31pp), IHO 2017 High-Level/Technical Visit Report (28pp), MACHC16 GOH Paper, Haiti BookletCharts index

Date: 2026-03-21

PART I: THE 18-YEAR TIMELINE OF NOTHING

What Was Supposed to Happen

Year	Event	What Was Promised	What Actually Happened
2008	IHO Technical Visit	Haiti requested help. IHO found ZERO capability. Recommended: MSI focal point, Project Leader, National Hydrographic Committee, 2 tide gauges, basic survey equipment ($79K).	Meeting happened. Report filed.
2008	IHO Membership	Haiti applied via Monaco. 30 states approved. Needed 52.	Process started, never completed.
2009	Follow-up visit	Review SHOH project progress	Unknown outcome
2010	Earthquake	100,000+ dead, 120% GDP losses. "Donors' meeting" at MACHC11 in Suriname. Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Japan, Peru, Netherlands, UK, USA, Venezuela all offered support.	2-week training course happened (2011).
2011	Training courses	17 SEMANAH staff trained in-country (France/SHOM instructors)	Training delivered. No institutional structure to use it.
2012	IHO membership	2/3 of IHO states approved Haiti's accession	Haiti never deposited instrument of accession. Still not a member.
2014	Brazil Cat A course	2 SEMANAH engineers trained (Matthieu Polyte, Frenold Cheristin)	Graduated. Returned to Haiti. No equipment to use skills.
2014	US MOU	Formalized hydrographic relationship. NGA = Primary Charting Authority.	MOU signed. Haiti still produces zero charts.
2015	US internship	Polyte & Cheristin did 1-month NOAA/NGA/Navy internship	Skills practiced. No equipment waiting at home.
2016	Hurricane Matthew	Destroyed most Aids to Navigation in Haitian waters	Haiti asked for help fixing them. Unknown if fixed.
2017	IHO Technical Visit #2	NGA (USA), SHOM (France), DHN (Brazil) all visited. Met Prime Minister. PM declared "maritime development one of their priorities." Announced "National Maritime Surveillance Command Center."	Same findings as 2008. No hydrographic capability. No equipment. No legislation. SHOH still "proposed." Maritime Code still pending Parliament.
2017	SHOH structure	4-division org chart drawn (Hydrographic, Oceanographic, Production, Planification). Only first 2 "existing."	Org chart on paper. No evidence of actual operations.
2017-2026	Nine years of silence		Haiti is still not an IHO member. SHOH has no evidence of becoming operational. No hydrographic survey has been conducted.

The IHO's Annual Fee for Haiti: EUR 8,000

One share. That's what it costs. Haiti cannot find EUR 8,000/year to join the organization that would give it access to global hydrographic capacity building. SEMANAH's entire budget in 2016-2017: 143 million Gourdes (~USD 1.5M at the time).

PART II: META-INSIGHTS FROM CROSS-ANALYSIS

Insight 1: The $79,000 That Could Have Changed Everything

The 2008 IHO report (Annex F) lists basic hydrographic equipment at $79,000 total:

Item	Cost (USD)
Single beam echo sounder, 200 kHz	$23,000
Tide gauge	$5,000
Post-process differential GPS	$30,000
Hydrographic software	$10,000
Computers	$6,000
Accessories	$5,000
TOTAL	$79,000

For $79,000... less than the price of a single Toyota Land Cruiser used by every NGO in Port-au-Prince... Haiti could have begun mapping its own seafloor. The 2010 donors' meeting included 10 countries (Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Japan, Peru, Netherlands, UK, USA, Venezuela). They funded a 2-week training course. Nobody funded $79,000 in equipment.

Cross-reference with our data: Haiti's EEZ generates ~$0.30/km2. Jamaica generates $741/km2. The revenue gap is ~$94M/year. The equipment to BEGIN closing that gap costs $79,000. The return on investment, at even 1% of the gap, would be 1,200x in the first year.

Insight 2: The Charts Haiti Navigates By Are From the Colonial Era

The 2008 report states: "Haiti has not produced any nautical charts of its waters; shipping relies on nautical charts produced by France, UK and USA containing a non-updated compilation of information of different sources."

The 2017 report confirms NGA is the Primary Charting Authority. The ENC cells listed (21 total) are all US-produced, with publication dates of 2014-2015. But ENC are digital overlays on SOURCE DATA. The question the IHO doesn't answer explicitly but implies: when was the seafloor last surveyed?

The US has served as Primary Charting Authority "for most of the 20th Century." The major hydrographic surveys of Haitian waters were conducted during:

French colonial period (pre-1804)
US occupation (1915-1934)
Sporadic NGA updates (post-earthquake 2010 LIDAR, specific port approaches)

Cross-reference with our data: The 7 BookletCharts cover: Approaches to Cap-Haitien, Cap-Haitien, Plans in Haiti, Baie de L'Acul, Port-au-Prince, Aquin/Jacmel (South Coast), Passages between Acklins Island/Haiti/Caicos. That's 7 PDFs for 1,771 km of coastline. The vast majority of Haiti's coast between these points is uncharted at modern standards.

Insight 3: Zero Tide Gauges in 2008

The 2008 report: "It was reported that there is not a single tide gauge to monitor the variations of the sea level in all Haiti."

By 2017, three tide stations existed: Cap Haitian, Carrefour, Les Cayes. But the 2008 report specifically warned: "to install a network is much easier than keeping it working for long." There is no evidence these stations are still operational.

Cross-reference with our data: Without tide gauges, Haiti cannot:

Calibrate depth soundings for charts
Monitor sea level rise (critical for a country at extreme climate risk)
Provide tidal predictions for navigation safety
Support any future hydrographic survey work

Insight 4: The University Gap

Both the 2008 and 2017 reports note the same finding: Haiti's university offers zero maritime-related degrees.

2008: "The University in Haiti does not offer any option for its students to follow maritime disciplines, despite the maritime situation of the country."

2017: "There are currently no Maritime Training facilities in Haiti despite Haiti's large Maritime interest within the region."

Cross-reference: This means there is no domestic pipeline for hydrographers, marine scientists, nautical cartographers, maritime lawyers, or blue economy planners. Every expert must be trained abroad (Brazil, France, USA) at enormous per-person cost, then returns to a country with no equipment and no institutional structure to employ their skills.

Insight 5: The Labadee Anomaly

The 2017 report reveals: "Cruise Ship Ports are managed by special agreement with the Ministry of Tourism. One example discussed was the Labadee Cruise Ship Port which is directly managed by the Ministry of Tourism, without any intervention by the APN or SEMANAH."

Labadee is Royal Caribbean's private beach resort on Haiti's north coast. Royal Caribbean conducts its own hydrographic surveys for its cruise ships to dock safely. These surveys are not shared with SEMANAH or NGA. The 2017 IHO team specifically recommended that "guidelines on hydrographic survey specifications may be disseminated to all Haitian administrations and Ministries to be able to collect and safeguard maritime geospatial data acquired according to the IHO Standards."

Cross-reference with our data: This is a micro-extraction pattern. A private corporation surveys Haitian waters for its own profit. The data is proprietary. Haiti gains no institutional knowledge from the survey. The pattern: foreign actors possess more knowledge about Haitian territory than Haiti does.

Insight 6: The Opacity Flags Exploit the Blindness

From the 2008 report: "The absence of definition of the international maritime delimitation... constitutes a limitation that affects [Coast Guard] operations as generates difficulties in the control of activities that take place on the internal waters, territorial waters and waters beyond the territorial waters."

Cross-reference with our opacity flags data:

Factor	IHO Finding	BARSS Data
No AIS network	Confirmed (2008, 2017)	64,008 hours of opacity-flagged vessels UNMONITORED
No maritime boundaries published	Confirmed (2008, 2017)	4/6 maritime boundaries unresolved
8 patrol boats for 1,535 km	Confirmed (2017: 5 boats, 3 PaP + 1 Cap + 1 Cayes)	Gonave convergence = zero patrol presence
No port state control	Observer only (Caribbean MOU)	Ships dock/anchor without inspection
No VTS	Confirmed	No vessel tracking at any port

The opacity flags don't just exploit weak enforcement. They exploit total blindness. Bolivia-flagged vessels spend 10,488 hours in Haiti's EEZ because Haiti literally cannot see them. Togo-flagged vessels concentrate at Île de la Gonave because there is no radar, no AIS, no patrol boat, no coast guard base, and no commercial port... it is the darkest spot in a completely dark maritime domain.

Insight 7: The CNIGS Parallel... And Why It Matters

Both reports highlight CNIGS (National Geospatial Information Center) as a functioning institution with GIS capability, trained staff, and a legal framework. The 2008 report recommended nautical chart production be assigned to CNIGS. The 2017 report noted CNIGS has complete LIDAR coverage of Haiti's land area.

The asymmetry: Haiti has mapped its LAND (via CNIGS). It has NOT mapped its SEA (no SHOH). CNIGS was established in 2006 with clear legislation, funding, and a mandate. SHOH was proposed in 2008 and has never been established.

Why? Plausible hypothesis: land mapping was donor-funded for disaster response (earthquake, hurricane preparedness). Sea mapping has no equivalent donor champion. The World Bank, USAID, and EU fund land-based GIS for DRR (Disaster Risk Reduction). Nobody funds maritime GIS because the use case (revenue capture, fisheries management, boundary delimitation) requires a functioning state... which is exactly what extraction prevents.

Insight 8: The Numbers That Connect Everything

Metric	Value	Source
Cost of basic survey equipment	$79,000	IHO 2008 Annex F
IHO annual membership	EUR 8,000	IHO 2017
Haiti EEZ revenue	~$30-50M/yr	BARSS EEZ Analysis
Revenue gap vs Jamaica model	~$94M/yr	BARSS EEZ Analysis
IUU extraction from EEZ	$10-50M/yr	BARSS EEZ Analysis
Opacity-flagged vessel hours	64,008 hrs	BARSS Opacity Flags
Maritime Theta	0.96-0.98	BARSS EEZ Analysis
Coast Guard boats	5 (2017) / 8 (reported)	IHO 2017
Trained hydrographers	2	IHO 2017
Charts produced by Haiti	0	IHO 2008, 2017
Years since first IHO visit	18	2008-2026
SHOH status	Proposed, not established	IHO 2017
IHO membership status	Approved but not deposited	IHO 2017

The meta-insight: Haiti cannot see its waters ($79K equipment gap) → cannot measure what's taken (Maritime Theta 0.96-0.98) → cannot enforce against opacity flags (64,008 unmonitored hours) → cannot generate revenue ($0.30/km2 vs $741) → cannot fund the $79K equipment → cycle repeats.

This is the Resistance Ratchet applied to maritime governance. The extraction creates the blindness that enables more extraction.

PART III: THE PEOPLE WHO TRIED

The IHO reports name real people who tried to change this:

2008 Contacts

Azad Belfort (Director, International Organizations, MOFA) - organized the entire visit
Gina Porcena (Director General, CNIGS) - offered GIS infrastructure for nautical charts
Marie Jean (Director General, SEMANAH) - confirmed zero capability, committed to SHOH
Ronald Jabouin (Director, Maritime Safety, SEMANAH) - presented the SHOH pre-project
Joseph Wagnac (Director, Coast Guard) - identified chart gaps limiting operations
Hugo Gorziglia (IHB Director, Chilean Navy) - led the visit, wrote 31-page report

2017 Contacts

Dieudonné Bruno (Director General, SEMANAH)
Serge Mitton (Director, Marine Environment Protection / Hydrography lead)
Matthieu Polyte (Head of Hydrographic Service, Cat A trained in Brazil 2014)
Frenold Cheristin (Assistant, Cat A trained in Brazil 2014)
Fritz Caillot (MTPTC Minister)
Franz Joseph (Minister's Office expert)
Hervé Eveillard (Director General, APN)
Jack Guy Lafontant (Prime Minister... declared maritime development a "priority")
Joseph Jean Mary Wagnac (Coast Guard Commandant, same name as 2008)
Boby Emmanuel Piard (Director General, CNIGS)

These are not anonymous bureaucrats. These are named individuals who sat in meetings, made commitments, and watched nothing happen. The 2008 and 2017 reports read like the same document because the same problems exist, the same recommendations are made, and the same promises are offered.

Wagnac appears in BOTH reports (2008 and 2017). Nine years. Same coast guard. Same request for better charts. Same situation.

PART IV: WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE BUDGET DIVE

If you are analyzing Haiti's budget/development plan and finding it lacks insight... this is the foundation of that lack. The budget planners literally do not know:

What Haiti's EEZ contains (never surveyed)
What foreign vessels are doing in Haitian waters (no monitoring)
What the coastline infrastructure looks like (no inventory)
What revenue the maritime domain could generate (no baseline)
What the seafloor looks like (charts from colonial era)
Where the maritime boundaries are (4/6 unresolved)
What the continental shelf extends to (CLCS deadline missed)

You cannot budget for what you cannot see. You cannot plan blue economy development when you don't have a single nautical chart you produced yourself. You cannot project fisheries revenue when you've never surveyed fish stocks. You cannot plan coast guard expansion when you don't know where the landing points are.

The budget is bad because the data doesn't exist. The data doesn't exist because the institutions to create it were never funded. The institutions were never funded because the budget is bad.

This is Theta operating at the institutional level.

SOURCES

Primary (Archived in Vault)

`2. Source Material/IHO_2008_Haiti_Technical_Visit.txt` (77,870 chars, 31 pages)
`2. Source Material/IHO_2017_Haiti_Technical_Visit.txt` (64,474 chars, 28 pages)
`2. Source Material/MACHC16_Haiti_Paper.txt` (8,117 chars, 4 pages)

Original PDFs

[IHO 2008 Technical Visit Report - Haiti](https://iho.int/uploads/user/Capacity%20Building/Reports%20Assessments/2008/8-HAITI.pdf)
[IHO 2017 Technical Visit Report - Haiti](https://iho.int/uploads/user/Capacity%20Building/Reports%20Assessments/2017/2017-A06-TV-Haiti-Report.pdf)
[MACHC16 GOH Paper](https://docs.iho.int/mtg_docs/rhc/MACHC/MACHC16/MACHC16-02.1B-IHB-report-GoH-English.pdf)
[Haiti BookletCharts](https://www.iho-machc.org/haiti_bookletcharts/haiti_bookletcharts.html)

Cross-Analysis compiled 2026-03-21 for BARSS Haiti Maritime Domain Research

Part of Haiti Maritime Extraction case (tree/Haiti_Maritime)

The maritime domain blindness is a symptom of a larger problem: Haiti lacks the implementation capacity to absorb the institutional funding that already exists.

Figure 7

Haiti Institutional Disbursement Rates: The Implementation Gap

Source: BARSS Research | EEDTM

World Bank Haiti Portfolio: Active Projects

Project	Approved	Amount	Disbursed	Status
Second Resilient Productive Landscapes (P182412)	Apr 2025	$50M	~3-5%	Successor to P162908 (46.8% disbursed)
Public Financial Management (PFM)	2025	$70M	~5%	Almost entirely unspent
Agriculture Resilience	2025	$50M	~8%	Early implementation
Economic Corridors	2025	$70M	~3%	Early implementation

IDB Haiti Pipeline

Category	Active Programs	Estimated Pipeline
Infrastructure & Transport	5+	$200M+
Agriculture & Rural Development	4+	$150M+
Governance & Institutional	3+	$120M+
Social Protection	4+	$180M+
Private Sector & Trade	3+	$120M+
Total	25+	~$770M

UNDP Haiti

Fund	Allocation	Status
Electoral Basket Fund	$30-40M	Dormant (elections postponed)
Peacebuilding Fund (PBF)	$15-20M	Active but slow disbursement
Climate/Environment	$10-15M	GCF pipeline

The implementation gap is the binding constraint. Haiti does not lack donor commitments. It lacks organizations with the technical capacity, compliance infrastructure, and ground presence to move institutional money into programs. The maritime domain is a microcosm: international institutions have offered training, equipment, and technical assistance for 18 years. Nobody has built the institutional architecture to absorb it.

Figure 5

Haiti EEZ Revenue Potential: Five Scenarios

Source: BARSS Research | EEDTM

Purpose: Identify every free, publicly accessible data source that can produce a baseline maritime surveillance product for Haiti's coastline and EEZ at $0 cost.

Assessment Date: March 20, 2026

Relevance: Project Diamond Spear, Grand Blue Line, SAKALA

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Six source categories evaluated. Four are immediately actionable within 24 hours. Two require registration (instant to 48hr approval). Total cost: $0.

Source	Actionable Now?	Registration	Data Quality	Coverage
Global Fishing Watch API	YES (after signup)	Free, instant self-service	HIGH	Haiti EEZ full coverage
Copernicus Sentinel-1 SAR	YES (after signup)	Free, instant	HIGH	Global, all-weather
Copernicus Sentinel-2 Optical	YES (after signup)	Free, instant	MEDIUM	10m resolution, 5-day revisit
OpenStreetMap / Overpass API	YES (no signup)	None needed	MEDIUM	1,189 maritime features found
MarineTraffic	Limited	Free web only	LOW (free tier)	Port-au-Prince area
AISHub	NO (requires AIS feed)	Must contribute data	HIGH	Caribbean partial

What We Can Produce in 24 Hours

Vessel activity heatmap of Haiti's EEZ (GFW API... fishing effort + vessel presence 2012-present)
Dark vessel detections around Haiti (GFW SAR dataset... unmatched radar detections 2017-present)
AIS gap events for vessels operating near Haiti (GFW Events API)
SAR imagery of Port-au-Prince harbor and key coastline (Sentinel-1, all-weather, day/night)
Optical imagery of docks, piers, and landing sites (Sentinel-2, 10m, cloud-permitting)
Complete maritime infrastructure map from OSM (1,189 features already extracted)

SOURCE 1: GLOBAL FISHING WATCH API

Access

URL: https://globalfishingwatch.org/our-apis/
API Base: `https://gateway.api.globalfishingwatch.org/v3/`
Documentation: https://globalfishingwatch.org/our-apis/documentation
Token Signup: https://globalfishingwatch.org/our-apis/tokens
Python Client: `pip install gfw-api-python-client`
R Client: `gfwr` package on GitHub

Authentication

Bearer token via HTTP header: `Authorization: Bearer `
Free self-registration, instant token generation
Non-commercial use only (academic/NGO/public good = fine)
Confirmed: API returns 401 without token, 403 with invalid token

Available Datasets for Haiti

Dataset ID	Coverage	What It Shows
`public-global-fishing-effort:latest`	2012 to 96hrs ago	AIS-based fishing hours by grid cell
`public-global-presence:latest`	2012 to 96hrs ago	All vessel presence (not just fishing)
`public-global-sar-presence:latest`	2017 to 5 days ago	SAR satellite vessel detections (sees dark vessels)
`public-sar-fixed-infrastructure`	2017 to 3 months ago	Offshore structures detected by satellite

Haiti EEZ Query

To query Haiti's EEZ, use the region parameter:

region-dataset=public-eez-areas®ion-id=

The EEZ ID can be found via the References API:

GET /v3/datasets/public-eez-areas/context-layers

Or use a custom GeoJSON polygon for Haiti's EEZ boundary.

Key Endpoints

Fishing Effort / Vessel Presence (4Wings):

POST /v3/4wings/report

{

"region": {

"dataset": "public-eez-areas",

"id": ""

"datasets": ["public-global-fishing-effort:latest"],

"date-range": "2025-01-01,2026-03-20",

"spatial-resolution": "HIGH",

"temporal-resolution": "MONTHLY",

"group-by": "FLAG"

}

Dark Vessel Detection (SAR unmatched):

POST /v3/4wings/report

{

"datasets": ["public-global-sar-presence:latest"],

"date-range": "2025-01-01,2026-03-20",

"spatial-resolution": "HIGH",

"temporal-resolution": "MONTHLY",

"region": { "dataset": "public-eez-areas", "id": "" }

}

Filter SAR detections by matched=false to isolate vessels with NO AIS signal.

AIS Gap Events:

GET /v3/events?datasets=public-global-gaps-events:latest&start-date=2025-01-01&end-date=2026-03-20

With region filter for Haiti EEZ. Shows when vessels turned off AIS transponders.

Data Formats

CSV, JSON, TIFF (raster), PNG (heatmap tiles), MVT (vector tiles)

Rate Limits

1 concurrent report per user
100 second timeout per report
Reports cached 30 minutes

Strategic Value for BARSS

Can identify which flag states are fishing in Haiti's EEZ
Can detect vessels operating without AIS ("dark fleet")
Can cross-reference with BAM BAM shipping interests
SAR data sees through weather/night... critical for Haiti
Historical data back to 2012 enables trend analysis

SOURCE 2: COPERNICUS SENTINEL-1 SAR

Access

Portal: https://dataspace.copernicus.eu/
Browser (visual): https://browser.dataspace.copernicus.eu/
API Docs: https://documentation.dataspace.copernicus.eu/APIs.html
Auth Endpoint: `https://identity.dataspace.copernicus.eu/auth/realms/CDSE/protocol/openid-connect/token`

Registration

Free account at dataspace.copernicus.eu
Email verification required
Create OAuth client in User Settings for API access
No credit card required

What Sentinel-1 SAR Provides

C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar imagery
Works day/night, all weather (critical for Haiti's cloud cover)
Resolution: 5m x 20m (IW mode, most common)
Revisit: ~6 days (with Sentinel-1C added January 2025)
Archive: Full history available
Can detect: Vessels as small as ~15m, oil spills, coastal change

Ship Detection Pipeline (Open Source)

Tool	GitHub	Method
SARfish	MJCruickshank/SARfish	Faster R-CNN on S1 VH polarisation, outputs GeoJSON
Allen AI Vessel Detection	allenai/vessel-detection-sentinels	S1 + S2 fusion
py_cfar	nasir6/py_cfar	CFAR algorithm for vessel detection
EODAG Tutorial	eodag.readthedocs.io	Complete tutorial for ship detection
SUMO	EU open source	Pixel-based marine object detection

How to Get Haiti SAR Imagery

`python

import requests

token_url = "https://identity.dataspace.copernicus.eu/auth/realms/CDSE/protocol/openid-connect/token"

token_data = {

"grant_type": "client_credentials",

"client_id": "",

"client_secret": ""

}

token_resp = requests.post(token_url, data=token_data)

access_token = token_resp.json()["access_token"]

haiti_bbox = [-72.45, 18.45, -72.25, 18.65] # Port-au-Prince harbor area

Free Tier Limits (Generous)

10,000 Sentinel Hub API requests/month
10,000 Processing Units/month
12 TB download cap (rolling 30 days)
4 concurrent connections
20 MB/s per connection

Strategic Value

All-weather surveillance of Haiti's entire coastline
Can detect vessel concentrations at informal landing sites
Cross-reference with AIS data to find "dark" vessels
Historical archive enables change detection at ports

SOURCE 3: COPERNICUS SENTINEL-2 OPTICAL

Access

Same portal as Sentinel-1: https://dataspace.copernicus.eu/
Same authentication, same free tier

What Sentinel-2 Provides

Multispectral optical imagery (13 bands)
Resolution: 10m (visible + NIR), 20m (red-edge + SWIR), 60m (atmospheric)
Revisit: 5 days at equator (3 satellites now: 2A, 2B, 2C)
Limitation: Requires clear sky (Haiti has significant cloud cover)

Can We See Boats?

At 10m resolution, a single pixel = 10m x 10m
Large vessels (>20m): YES, clearly visible as bright pixels on dark water
Medium vessels (10-20m): Marginally detectable, 1-2 pixels
Small boats (<10m): Generally NOT detectable
Docks/piers/infrastructure: YES, clearly visible
Fishing boat concentrations: YES, as clusters of bright pixels

What to Look For

Port-au-Prince harbor vessel density
Informal landing sites along north coast (Cap-Haitien to Gonaives)
La Gonave island coastline (known smuggling route)
South coast (Jeremie, Les Cayes... ferry terminals)
Ile-a-Vache, Ile de la Tortue

Sentinel Hub Custom Script for Ship Detection

`javascript

// Ship detection script (Sentinel-2)

// Ships appear as bright pixels on dark water

let water = (B03 - B08) / (B03 + B08); // NDWI

if (water > 0.3) { // It's water

let brightness = B04 + B03 + B02;

if (brightness > 0.5) { // Bright object on water

return [1, 0, 0]; // Red = potential vessel

}

return [0, 0, 0.3]; // Blue = water

}

return [B042.5, B032.5, B02*2.5]; // Natural color for land

SOURCE 4: OPENSTREETMAP (OVERPASS API)

Access

Overpass API: https://overpass-api.de/api/interpreter
Visual Interface: https://overpass-turbo.eu/
NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Data Format: JSON, XML, CSV
Rate Limit: Fair use (~10,000 requests/day)

Haiti Maritime Infrastructure: ALREADY EXTRACTED

Query executed March 20, 2026. Results: 1,189 elements.

Feature Type	Count
Piers (`man_made=pier`)	169
Rocks/hazards (`seamark:type=rock`)	90
Ferry terminals (`amenity=ferry_terminal`)	16
Wrecks (`seamark:type=wreck`)	15
Landmarks (`seamark:type=landmark`)	12
Marinas (`leisure=marina`)	9
Harbours (`harbour=yes`)	6
Lighthouses (`man_made=lighthouse`)	6
Docks (`waterway=dock`)	4
Harbour seamarks (`seamark:type=harbour`)	3
Light minors (`seamark:type=light_minor`)	3
Quays (`man_made=quay`)	2
Anchorages (`seamark:type=anchorage`)	1

Named Ports & Maritime Facilities (with coordinates)

Name	Type	Latitude	Longitude
Port-au-Prince Harbour	harbour, marina	18.557	-72.350
Port de Cap-Haitien	harbour	19.760	-72.196
Port de Miragoane	harbour, marina	18.445	-73.091
Port de Marigot	ferry terminal	18.229	-72.322
Port de Jeremie	dock	18.643	-74.111
Port de Carries	dock	18.832	-72.854
Waf de Cite Soleil	marina	18.580	-72.342
Gare Maritime des Cayes	ferry terminal	18.191	-73.745
Gare Maritime Madame Bernard	ferry terminal	18.086	-73.653
Gare Maritime de Kaykok	ferry terminal	18.104	-73.693
Marina Blue	marina	18.951	-72.720
Libertalia	marina	18.548	-73.796
Port de Petite Riviere de Nippes	marina	18.477	-73.246
Gare Maritime de Anse-a-Galets	ferry terminal	18.832	-72.853
Gare Maritime de Cariesse	ferry terminal	18.888	-72.623
Port de Mouillage des voiliers	dock	18.864	-72.948
Kaliko Beach Marina	marina	way	-
Labadee Cruiseship Dock	pier	way	-
Wharf Cite Cabrit	wharf, dock	way	-
Wharf Gabotage de Cite Soleil	pier	way	-

Overpass Query Used

[out:json][timeout:60];

area["ISO3166-1"="HT"]->.searchArea;

(

node["man_made"="pier"](area.searchArea);

way["man_made"="pier"](area.searchArea);

node["leisure"="marina"](area.searchArea);

way["leisure"="marina"](area.searchArea);

node["harbour"](area.searchArea);

way["harbour"](area.searchArea);

node["seamark:type"](area.searchArea);

way["seamark:type"](area.searchArea);

node["waterway"="dock"](area.searchArea);

way["waterway"="dock"](area.searchArea);

node["man_made"="quay"](area.searchArea);

way["man_made"="quay"](area.searchArea);

node["amenity"="ferry_terminal"](area.searchArea);

way["amenity"="ferry_terminal"](area.searchArea);

node["landuse"="port"](area.searchArea);

way["landuse"="port"](area.searchArea);

);

out body;

;

out skel qt;

OSM Haiti Completeness Assessment

Port-au-Prince: well-mapped (post-2010 earthquake volunteer surge)
Major ports: mapped (Cap-Haitien, Les Cayes, Jeremie, Miragoane)
Rural coastline: incomplete (25% of cells have any mapped features)
Informal landing sites: mostly unmapped (this is a gap we can fill with SAR/optical)
Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) has active Haiti project

SOURCE 5: MARINETRAFFIC (LIMITED FREE TIER)

Access

Web Map: https://www.marinetraffic.com/ (free, no signup)
API: https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/p/api-services (PAID ONLY)

What's Free

Web interface only: View current vessel positions on map
Click individual vessels for basic info (name, flag, type, speed, destination)
Port-au-Prince area typically shows 5-20 vessels
NO API access at free level
NO historical data at free level
NO bulk download at free level

What It Costs

API starts at ~$100/month for basic tier
Historical track data: premium tier
NOT cost-effective for this project

Strategic Value: LOW

Useful only for real-time spot checks
Cannot build systematic surveillance product
GFW API provides better data for free

SOURCE 6: AIS DATA (FREE SOURCES)

AISHub (www.aishub.net)

Model: Data sharing cooperative
Requirement: You MUST contribute at least one raw AIS feed (NMEA format)
Quality bar: 10+ vessels average, 90% uptime, <60s downsampling
If qualified: Free API access (JSON, XML, CSV)
Problem: We don't have an AIS receiver in Haiti
Verdict: NOT immediately actionable unless we set up a receiver

NOAA AccessAIS (coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/ais.html)

Coverage: US coastal waters, Alaska, Hawaii, US territories
Haiti: NOT COVERED (US waters only)
Format: Clip-and-ship download tool
Verdict: Not useful for Haiti

UN Global Platform AIS Task Team

URL: https://unstats.un.org/bigdata/task-teams/ais/
Purpose: Developing methodologies for AIS-derived statistics
Data access: Through national statistical offices, not direct public download
Verdict: Institutional pathway, not immediate data source

OpenAIS (open-ais.org)

Purpose: Open-source AIS data processing tools
Data: Does NOT provide data... helps you process data you already have
Verdict: Useful tooling if we get raw AIS data from another source

Academic Datasets

Piraeus AIS Dataset: 244M records, Mediterranean only
Kaggle AIS datasets: Various, mostly European waters
Caribbean coverage: Limited in academic open datasets
Best bet: GFW's AIS-derived products (already covered above)

SOURCE 7: PLANET LABS / NICFI (EXPIRED)

Status

NICFI program ended January 23, 2025
Replaced by Tropical Forest Observatory (TFO) with paid tiers
Haiti was within NICFI coverage (Caribbean tropics)
No longer free as of 2026

Alternative: Sentinel-2

Sentinel-2 provides 10m optical imagery for free (see Source 3)
Slightly lower resolution than Planet (3-5m) but sufficient for port surveillance
5-day revisit vs Planet's daily... acceptable tradeoff for $0

RECOMMENDED 24-HOUR ACTION PLAN

Hour 0-1: Account Setup

Register at https://globalfishingwatch.org/our-apis/tokens (GFW API token)
Register at https://dataspace.copernicus.eu/ (Copernicus account)
Create OAuth client in Copernicus dashboard

Hour 1-4: Data Collection

Query GFW 4Wings API for Haiti EEZ fishing effort (2024-2026)
Query GFW 4Wings API for SAR vessel detections (2024-2026, filter unmatched = dark vessels)
Query GFW Events API for AIS gap events near Haiti
Download recent Sentinel-1 SAR scene over Port-au-Prince
Download recent Sentinel-2 optical scene over Port-au-Prince (check cloud cover)

Hour 4-8: Processing

Generate fishing effort heatmap from GFW data
Generate dark vessel detection map from SAR data
Run SARfish or CFAR on Sentinel-1 scene for ship detection
Overlay OSM maritime infrastructure on all maps
Cross-reference GFW vessel data with OSM port locations

Hour 8-12: Product Generation

Create Datawrapper maps showing:
Vessel density by grid cell
Dark vessel hotspots
AIS gap frequency zones
Maritime infrastructure inventory
Generate Brattle-style report with all visualizations

Hour 12-24: Analysis & Publication

Identify flag states operating in Haiti's EEZ
Calculate fishing effort trends
Map dark vessel concentration zones (potential smuggling routes)
Cross-reference landing sites with known gang territory
Package as "Haiti Maritime Domain Awareness Baseline Report"

PYTHON QUICKSTART SCRIPT

See: 19. Sorceries/haiti_maritime_baseline.py (companion script)

CONNECTION TO BARSS CASES

BARSS Case	Maritime Data Relevance
Diamond Spear	Dark vessel detection = arms trafficking routes
BAM BAM	Bigio/Mevs control port infrastructure; vessel data shows their commercial shipping
Liberia Maritime	LISCR-flagged vessels transiting Haiti's EEZ
Grand Blue Line	Atlantic coalition MDA capability demonstration
SAKALA	Coastal renewable infrastructure siting needs maritime baseline

Created: 2026-03-20 | Maritime surveillance free data assessment

Related: Project Diamond Spear, Grand Blue Line, SAKALA

Purpose: Precise cost estimates for achieving total maritime domain awareness (MDA) of Haiti's 1,771 km coastline, including every informal landing site, dock, and vessel movement.

Date: March 20, 2026

Context: UNODC January 2026 UNSC briefing confirmed traffickers shifting toward "weaker Haitian ports, offshore transfers, and indirect routes." 11 recorded clandestine airstrips identified. Maritime landing sites: number unknown... that is the problem this analysis solves.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: THE KILL NUMBER

Complete maritime domain awareness of Haiti's entire coastline, updated daily, with AI-flagged anomalies, for one year: $4.2M-$6.8M

Component	Annual Cost	What It Buys
SAR satellite imagery (daily revisit)	$1.2M-$2.0M	All-weather, day/night vessel detection, coastline change detection
Optical satellite imagery (weekly high-res)	$0.6M-$1.0M	30-50cm imagery for dock identification, beach clearing, tire tracks
AIS + dark vessel detection	$0.4M-$0.8M	Track all AIS-transmitting vessels + RF detection of dark ships
AI analytics platform	$0.3M-$0.5M	Automated anomaly detection, change alerts, vessel classification
Maritime Operations Center	$0.8M-$1.2M	Analysts, workstations, fusion with JIATF-South/SeaVision feeds
Drone complement (2x ScanEagle systems)	$0.9M-$1.3M	Persistent surveillance of identified hotspots, small boat intercept
TOTAL	$4.2M-$6.8M	Eyes on every beach in Haiti, every day, for one year

For context: The US spends ~$1B/year on Caribbean counter-narcotics via JIATF-South. Haiti's surveillance gap costs multiples of this in trafficking damage. $5M is a rounding error in the MSS budget.

1. SYNTHETIC APERTURE RADAR (SAR) SATELLITE IMAGERY

SAR is the foundation of maritime surveillance because it works through clouds, at night, and in all weather... critical for Haiti where cloud cover averages 60-70%.

Provider Comparison (2025-2026)

Provider	Best Resolution	Scene Size	Revisit (current)	Key Advantage
Capella Space	0.25m (Spotlight)	5x5 km	~6 hours (7 satellites)	Highest commercial SAR resolution; $4.2M DARPA maritime awareness contract
ICEYE	0.25m (Spot)	5x5 km to 100x100 km	Sub-daily (now 30+ satellites)	Largest commercial SAR constellation; Detect & Classify AI product; pay-as-you-go available
Umbra	0.25m (Spotlight)	5x5 km	Multiple daily	$60M STRATFI for next-gen maritime SAR; open-ocean search capability

SAR Pricing (Best Available 2025-2026 Estimates)

SAR imagery pricing is NOT published transparently by major providers. Based on industry sources, reseller pricing (SkyFi, Geopera, UP42), and contract data:

Mode	Resolution	Typical Price/km2	Typical Scene Cost	Notes
Spotlight (archive)	0.25-0.5m	$8-$20/km2	$200-$500 per 25 km2 scene	Best for port/dock analysis
Spotlight (tasking)	0.25-0.5m	$15-$40/km2	$375-$1,000 per 25 km2 scene	New collection, priority
Strip (archive)	1-3m	$3-$8/km2	$150-$800 per 100-500 km2	Good for coastline sweep
Strip (tasking)	1-3m	$5-$15/km2	$250-$1,500 per 100-500 km2	Broader coverage
Scan (archive)	5-15m	$1-$3/km2	$100-$300 per 100-10,000 km2	Wide-area vessel detection only
Scan (tasking)	5-15m	$2-$5/km2	$200-$500 per 10,000 km2	Open ocean search

Source notes: SkyFi 2025 pricing sheet (skyfi.com/files/SkyFi_Pricing_2025.pdf); Geopera starts from AUD 9/km2 (~$6 USD); Umbra $1,500 for 100 km2 spotlight = $15/km2; ICEYE region-based pricing, contracts immutable per agreement; Capella pricing via direct quote only.

Haiti Coastline SAR Coverage Calculation

Haiti coastline: 1,771 km
Coastal surveillance strip width needed: ~10 km inland + 20 km offshore = 30 km total width
Total coverage area: ~53,130 km2 (1,771 km x 30 km)
Using Strip mode at 1-3m resolution (sufficient for vessel detection >5m):
Single pass: $3-8/km2 x 53,130 km2 = $159,000-$425,000 per complete sweep
Daily coverage for one year (365 passes): Not practical as single-provider tasking
Realistic approach: 2-3 SAR providers on rotation = every-other-day coverage at ~$80M/year (too expensive for daily Strip)
Cost-effective approach: Daily Scan mode ($1-3/km2) for vessel detection + weekly Strip for detailed analysis = $1.2M-$2.0M/year

Can SAR Detect Small Wooden Boats (Yoles/Canots)?

This is the critical question. The honest answer: it depends.

Vessel Type	Length	Material	Radar Cross Section (RCS)	SAR Detectability
Metal cargo vessel	>30m	Steel	High (10-40 dBsm)	Reliable at all SAR resolutions
Fiberglass speedboat ("go-fast")	10-15m	Fiberglass	Medium (0-10 dBsm)	Detectable at <3m resolution
Wooden fishing boat (large)	8-12m	Wood	Low (-5 to 5 dBsm)	Detectable at <1m resolution in calm seas
Wooden canot/yole	4-8m	Wood	Very low (-10 to 0 dBsm)	Marginal. Detectable at 0.25-0.5m in calm seas. Sea state 3+ masks signal.
Small pirogue	<4m	Wood	Extremely low (<-10 dBsm)	Generally NOT detectable by SAR. Below clutter threshold.

Key limitation: Wooden boats under ~6m are at the edge of SAR detectability. Their low radar cross-section (comparable to ocean wave returns) makes them difficult to distinguish from sea clutter, especially in rough seas. Metal boats and fiberglass go-fast boats used for major drug shipments ARE reliably detectable. The small wooden canots used for local trafficking and human smuggling are the hardest target.

Mitigation: Combine SAR with optical (for dock/landing site detection) + RF detection (for radio/phone emissions from vessels) + AIS gap analysis.

2. OPTICAL SATELLITE IMAGERY

Optical imagery is essential for identifying physical infrastructure: makeshift docks, cleared beach areas, tire tracks, boat pull-up marks, fuel storage, and changes to coastline.

Provider Comparison (2025-2026)

Provider	Resolution	Daily Capacity	Revisit	Key Feature
Maxar (WorldView Legion)	30cm (panchromatic)	1.5M km2/day	Multiple daily (6 satellites)	Best resolution commercially available; new simplified pricing 2025
Airbus (Pleiades Neo)	30cm (native)	1M km2/day	Intraday	6-band multispectral; OneAtlas subscription model
Planet Labs (SkySat)	50cm	Multiple revisits/day	Same-day tasking	Fastest delivery (3 hours from capture)
Planet Labs (SuperDove)	3-5m	Entire Earth daily	Daily	Complete daily baseline of entire Haiti at medium resolution

Optical Pricing (2025-2026)

Provider/Product	Archive $/km2	Tasking $/km2	Min Order	Notes
Maxar WorldView Legion (30cm)	$14-$17	$29-$45	25 km2	January 2026 LAND INFO pricing; simplified pricing structure
Airbus Pleiades Neo (30cm)	~$18/km2	$25-$40	25 km2	OneAtlas subscription alternative available
Planet SkySat (50cm)	$6/km2	$12-$40/km2	25 km2	$12 flexible, $40 assured tasking
Planet SuperDove (3m)	~$1/km2	N/A (monitoring)	Subscription	Annual subscription for area monitoring

Haiti Coastline Optical Coverage Calculation

Approach 1: Full coastline at 30cm (Maxar/Airbus)

Coastal strip: 1,771 km x 5 km width = 8,855 km2
Weekly tasking at $29/km2 = $256,795/pass x 52 weeks = $13.4M/year (too expensive weekly)
Monthly tasking: $256,795 x 12 = $3.1M/year (high)
Practical approach: Monthly 30cm for change detection on full coast + weekly 50cm (SkySat) on known hotspots

Approach 2: Hybrid (recommended)

Planet SuperDove daily monitoring of full coast (~$50K-$100K/year subscription for Haiti AOI)
SkySat weekly tasking on 50 priority zones (50 x 25 km2 = 1,250 km2 x $12 x 52) = $780,000/year
Maxar 30cm quarterly full-coast survey (4 x $256,795) = $1.03M/year
Total optical: ~$600K-$1.0M/year using hybrid approach

Can Optical Detect Landing Site Infrastructure?

Yes. At 30-50cm resolution, the following are detectable:

Feature	Detectable?	Resolution Needed	AI Automatable?
Makeshift wooden docks/piers	Yes	50cm	Yes (change detection)
Cleared beach areas	Yes	50cm-1m	Yes
Tire/vehicle tracks on beaches	Yes (fresh)	30cm	Partially
Boat pull-up marks in sand	Marginal	30cm	Research stage
Fuel drum storage	Yes	30-50cm	Yes
New paths/trails to beach	Yes	50cm-1m	Yes (change detection)
Concrete boat ramps	Yes	1m	Yes
Vessels on beach (hauled out)	Yes	50cm	Yes
Night lighting (new)	No (optical only daytime)	N/A	Use SAR/RF instead

Critical capability: AI change detection. By comparing monthly baselines, AI can automatically flag new clearings, new structures, new paths, and new vessel activity at any point along 1,771 km. This is how you find EVERY landing site... not by looking for boats in the water, but by looking for the evidence of boat operations on land.

3. AIS (AUTOMATIC IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM) SATELLITE TRACKING

The AIS Problem for Haiti

AIS compliance for Haiti-relevant vessels is extremely low. Here is why:

SOLAS requires AIS only for vessels >300 gross tonnage (international) or >500 GT (domestic)
Small fishing boats, yoles, go-fast boats, and local cargo vessels in Haiti are not required to carry AIS
Even vessels that have AIS can (and do) turn it off... "going dark"
Estimated AIS coverage for Haiti-bound small vessel traffic: <5-10%
AIS is useful for tracking legitimate commercial shipping and identifying which large vessels deviate from normal patterns, but it will NOT detect the small-boat trafficking that is the primary threat

AIS Data Providers

Provider	Coverage	Refresh Rate	Annual Cost (Caribbean zone)	Notes
Spire Global/Kpler	Global	1 min (coastal), 6 min (open ocean)	$200K-$500K/year	Spire sold AIS business to Kpler (Belgium) for $241M in 2024; 600K+ vessels tracked
exactEarth (now Spire)	Global	Near real-time	$150K-$300K/year	Acquired by Spire 2021; 60+ payloads in orbit
MarineTraffic	Global	Real-time (terrestrial), satellite	$100-$1,000/year (basic); Enterprise custom	Basic: $10/month; Essential: $100/month; Enterprise: custom
ORBCOMM	Global	Near real-time	$200K-$400K/year	Government/enterprise focus

Dark Vessel Detection (The Real Capability Gap)

Since AIS misses most Haiti trafficking vessels, dark vessel detection is critical:

Provider	Technology	How It Works	Cost Estimate
HawkEye 360	RF signal geolocation from space	Detects radar, radio, cell phone emissions from vessels regardless of AIS status	~$500K-$2M/year for Caribbean AOI (based on $98.8M Navy IDIQ for Indo-Pacific)
Unseenlabs	RF signal detection (French)	25-satellite constellation; 300,000 km2 per pass; ~3 hour revisit	~$300K-$800K/year estimated (no public pricing)
Global Fishing Watch	SAR + AIS gap analysis	Cross-references Sentinel-1 SAR with AIS to identify vessels present on radar but not transmitting AIS	Free for non-commercial use; premium analytics via partnership
Windward	AI maritime intelligence	Fuses AIS, SAR, dark vessel analytics, behavioral analysis	~$300K/year per user (government); MIOC services additional

Recommended stack: HawkEye 360 RF detection ($800K) + AIS feed from Spire/Kpler ($300K) + Global Fishing Watch (free) = $400K-$800K/year for combined AIS + dark vessel coverage.

4. EXISTING MARITIME DOMAIN AWARENESS PLATFORMS

Platforms Available or Potentially Available to Haiti

Platform	Operator	Available to Haiti?	Cost to Access	Capabilities
SeaVision	US Navy/Volpe Center	Yes (120 partner nations, 4,400+ users)	Free (US-funded)	Web-based MDA, AIS visualization, rule-based analytics
JIATF-South assets	US DoD	Indirectly (via MSS/USCG cooperation)	Covered by US counter-narcotics budget	Saildrone USVs (20 deployed 2025), satellite imagery, AIS feeds, intelligence fusion
Windward Maritime AI	Windward (Israel, NYSE-listed)	Yes (commercial)	$300K+/year per user	AI-powered vessel tracking, dark vessel detection, risk scoring, MIOC service
Global Fishing Watch	Non-profit	Yes (free for government/research)	Free	SAR vessel detection, AIS tracking, dark fleet mapping, API access
Copernicus Maritime Surveillance	EU/EMSA	Via UNODC partnership	Free (EU-funded for partner nations)	SAR imagery, vessel detection, oil spill monitoring; 3,000+ images/year; <30 min delivery

JIATF-South: What They Already Cover

Operation Southern Spear (2025): 20 Saildrone Voyager USVs deployed in Caribbean/Pacific. These 10-meter autonomous vessels carry radar and cameras, covering thousands of square miles daily, operating in support of JIATF-South and US Navy Fourth Fleet.

However, JIATF-South's focus is the Maritime Transit Zone (6 million square miles between US and source countries). Haiti's coastal waters get some coverage, but JIATF-South is optimized for open-ocean interdiction, not coastal/beach surveillance. The gap is exactly the near-shore, informal landing site domain.

5. COASTLINE MAPPING: FINDING EVERY LANDING SITE

The Scale of the Problem

Metric	Value
Haiti coastline	1,771 km
Known formal ports	~15 (Port-au-Prince, Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Les Cayes, Jeremie, etc.)
Known clandestine airstrips	11 (UNODC)
Known informal boat landing sites	Unknown... this is the critical intelligence gap
Estimated informal landing sites	100-300+ (based on coastline length, terrain analysis, trafficking route mapping)
Key trafficking node	Ile de la Tortue (Tortuga Island) - 1,045 kg cocaine seized July 2025

Cost for Complete Coastline Survey

Phase 1: Baseline Survey (one-time)

Task	Method	Coverage	Cost
Full coastline SAR survey	ICEYE/Capella Strip mode, 1m resolution	1,771 km x 10 km = 17,710 km2	$90K-$140K
Full coastline optical survey	Maxar WorldView Legion 30cm	1,771 km x 5 km = 8,855 km2	$130K-$260K
Nearshore bathymetry (satellite-derived)	Sentinel-2 + Pleiades Neo	Full coastline	$50K-$100K
AI processing and landing site identification	Custom ML pipeline	All imagery	$50K-$80K
Phase 1 Total			$320K-$580K

Phase 2: Monthly Change Detection (ongoing)

Task	Method	Frequency	Annual Cost
Full coast SAR comparison	Strip mode, 1m	Monthly	$1.08M-$1.68M
Full coast optical comparison	SkySat 50cm	Monthly	$640K-$960K
AI change detection processing	Automated pipeline	Monthly	$100K-$200K
Analyst review of flagged anomalies	2-3 analysts	Ongoing	$200K-$400K
Phase 2 Total (annual)			$2.0M-$3.2M

AI-Automated Detection Capabilities

Modern AI/ML applied to satellite imagery can automatically detect:

New beach clearings - Vegetation removal along coastline (change detection from optical baselines)
New structures - Docks, ramps, sheds appearing between monthly comparisons
New paths/roads - Trails from roads to beach access points
Vessel patterns - Repeated small vessel presence at specific coordinates (SAR time series)
Nighttime activity - SAR detects vessels and infrastructure changes regardless of time of day
Fuel storage - New containers/drums visible at 30cm resolution

Accuracy: CNN-based coastline detection achieves 85% accuracy and 80% IoU. Change detection at sub-meter resolution can identify features as small as ~1m2 with high confidence.

Platforms: Picterra (GeoAI), Esri Image Analysis, Planet Analytics, 4 Earth Intelligence, EarthDaily Analytics... all offer automated change detection services.

6. DRONE SURVEILLANCE AS COMPLEMENT

Drones fill the gap between satellite passes: persistent surveillance of known hotspots.

Maritime Surveillance Drone Options

System	Type	Endurance	Range	Unit Cost	Operating Cost/Hr	Key Feature
ScanEagle	Fixed-wing, catapult launch	18+ hours	100+ km	$100K-$800K/unit	~$1,000-$2,000/hr (est.)	Most deployed maritime UAS; Colombia using for Caribbean coast 2025; no runway needed
RQ-21 Blackjack	Fixed-wing, catapult launch	16+ hours	50+ nm	~$2.25M/unit (5 UAS per system at $11.3M)	~$2,000-$4,000/hr (est.)	Marine Corps standard; EO/IR + SIGINT payloads
Aerosonde	Fixed-wing	14+ hours	100+ km	~$500K-$1M/unit	~$1,500-$2,500/hr	Insitu product; proven maritime ops
Saildrone Voyager	Unmanned surface vessel	6+ months at sea	Unlimited (wind/solar)	$500K-$1M/unit (est.)	Minimal (autonomous)	20 deployed for JIATF-South 2025; radar + cameras; persistent
Airbus Zephyr (HAPS)	Solar-powered stratospheric	67+ days (2025 record)	Global	~$10M+ per system	~$500/hr	Pseudo-satellite; persistent coverage over single area; 60,000+ ft altitude

Haiti Drone Deployment Considerations

Legal/Airspace issues:

Haiti has limited air traffic control infrastructure
MSS (Multinational Security Support) operates in Haiti... drone operations would need MSS/Haitian government coordination
No ICAO restrictions on UAS operations per se, but sovereign airspace permission required
Recommendation: Operate under MSS framework or bilateral US-Haiti agreement

Recommended package: 2x ScanEagle systems

2 systems x 4 air vehicles each = 8 ScanEagle drones
Operating from 2 locations (Port-au-Prince area + Cap-Haitien area)
18-hour endurance = near-persistent coverage of 2 coastal sectors simultaneously
Annual operating cost: ~$900K-$1.3M (including maintenance, operators, fuel, spares)
Covers the near-shore gap that satellites miss

Satellite vs. Drone Cost Comparison

Capability	Satellite	Drone (ScanEagle)	Advantage
Full coastline coverage	$2-4M/year	Cannot cover 1,771 km	Satellite
Hotspot persistent surveillance	Not persistent (revisit gaps)	18 hrs continuous	Drone
Night/all-weather	SAR yes; optical no	EO/IR yes	Tie
Small wooden boat detection	Marginal (SAR); visual (optical)	Yes (EO/IR cameras)	Drone
Real-time response/cueing	Hours to task	Minutes to redirect	Drone
Operating cost per km2 covered	$1-40/km2 per pass	Higher for large area	Satellite
Operator risk	Zero	Low (unmanned) but recoverable	Tie

7. REAL-WORLD DEPLOYMENTS AND BENCHMARKS

EUNAVFOR MED IRINI (Mediterranean)

Metric	Value
Annual common budget	EUR 16.35M ($17.8M) for 2025-2026
Satellite image requests	250+ per year to EU Satellite Centre
Coverage area	Central Mediterranean
Assets	Aerial, satellite, maritime
Mandate	UN arms embargo enforcement (Libya)
Satellite surveillance share of budget	~EUR 3-5M estimated (20-30% of common costs)

Australia Pacific Maritime Security Program (PMSP)

Metric	Value
Total program	AUD 2 billion over 30 years (~$67M/year)
Aerial surveillance increase (2024-25)	AUD 477M ($310M) total allocation
Patrol boats	24 Guardian-class, $1.3B total
Satellite surveillance	Quad Indo-Pacific MDA partnership (Phase 1 funded 2024)
Coverage area	36 million km2 of Pacific EEZs
Per-km2 annual cost	~$1.86/km2/year (using $67M over 36M km2)

US Counter-Narcotics (JIATF-South / Caribbean)

Metric	Value
Coverage area	6 million square miles (Maritime Transit Zone)
Saildrone deployment	20 Voyager USVs (2025, Operation Southern Spear)
2024 seizures	106.3 metric tons of cocaine
Annual budget (estimated)	$800M-$1.2B (across all agencies)
HawkEye 360 contract	$98.8M IDIQ (Navy, Indo-Pacific focus, renewed 2025 for 4th year)
India HawkEye 360 FMS	$131M (includes SeaVision + training)

EMSA/Copernicus Maritime Surveillance (EU)

Metric	Value
Annual SAR images delivered	3,000+
Delivery time	<30 minutes from satellite acquisition
Participating states	34 coastal states
Cost to participating states	Free (EU Copernicus funded)
UNODC partnership	Active... UNODC uses Copernicus for partner nation surveillance

Colombia ScanEagle Deployment (2025)

Colombia's Navy (Armada de Colombia) actively uses ScanEagle drones for Caribbean and Pacific coast maritime surveillance as of 2025 (ExpoDefensa 2025 confirmation). Catapult launch from shore or vessel, 18-hour patrols covering both coasts. Directly analogous to Haiti use case.

8. INTEGRATION COSTS

Maritime Operations Center (MOC) Setup

Based on industry benchmarks (Wartsila, ABB, Elbit, L3Harris coastal surveillance systems):

Component	Cost	Notes
Physical facility (renovation/construction)	$200K-$500K	Can use existing HNP/MSS facility
Display wall + workstations (6 positions)	$150K-$300K	Large-format displays, GIS workstations
Server/networking infrastructure	$100K-$200K	Data storage, processing, secure comms
Software licenses (GIS, analytics, fusion)	$150K-$300K/year	Esri, Windward, custom dashboards
SeaVision integration	Free	US-provided, web-based, 120 partner nations
Secure communications (JIATF-South link)	$50K-$100K	Encrypted data sharing
Setup total (one-time)	$650K-$1.4M
Annual operating (licenses, maintenance)	$200K-$400K/year

Analyst/Operator Staffing

Role	Number	Annual Cost (local + intl)	Notes
International maritime analyst (mentor)	2	$300K	Train Haitian counterparts
Haitian maritime analysts	4-6	$120K-$180K	$20K-$30K/year local salary
IT/systems administrator	1	$40K-$60K
Drone operators (ScanEagle)	4-6	$120K-$180K	2 per system, shifts
MOC manager	1	$80K-$120K
Annual staffing	12-16 people	$660K-$840K

Training

Training	Duration	Cost	Provider
SeaVision operator training	1 week	Free (US Navy/Volpe)	Standard for partner nations
SAR image analysis	2-4 weeks	$30K-$60K	ESA, commercial providers
AIS/MDA analysis	1-2 weeks	$20K-$40K	IMO, UNODC GMCP
ScanEagle operations	4-6 weeks	$100K-$200K	Insitu/Boeing
AI analytics platform	1-2 weeks	$10K-$20K	Platform vendor
Total training (one-time)		$160K-$320K

9. THE KILL QUESTION: TOTAL ANNUAL COST

Option A: Minimum Viable MDA ($2.8M-$4.2M/year)

Component	Annual Cost
SAR: ICEYE/Capella Scan mode, every-other-day + monthly Strip	$600K-$1.0M
Optical: Planet SuperDove daily + SkySat monthly on 30 priority zones	$300K-$500K
AIS: Spire/Kpler Caribbean feed	$200K-$300K
Dark vessels: Global Fishing Watch (free) + Windward basic	$300K
AI analytics: Change detection pipeline (open-source + cloud)	$100K-$200K
MOC: 6-person team, existing facility, SeaVision	$400K-$600K
Drones: 1x ScanEagle system	$450K-$650K
Contingency (15%)	$370K-$530K
Total Option A	$2.8M-$4.2M

Option B: Full Coverage MDA ($4.2M-$6.8M/year) -- RECOMMENDED

Component	Annual Cost
SAR: Multi-provider daily Scan + biweekly Strip + quarterly Spotlight on hotspots	$1.2M-$2.0M
Optical: SuperDove daily + SkySat weekly on 50 zones + quarterly Maxar 30cm full coast	$600K-$1.0M
AIS + Dark vessel: Spire/Kpler + HawkEye 360 RF detection	$600K-$1.0M
AI analytics: Windward + custom change detection + vessel classification	$300K-$500K
MOC: 12-person team, dedicated facility, full integration	$800K-$1.2M
Drones: 2x ScanEagle systems (north + south coast)	$900K-$1.3M
Training (Year 1 only, amortized)	$100K-$200K
Contingency (15%)	$630K-$1.0M
Total Option B	$4.2M-$6.8M

Option C: Maximum Capability ($8M-$12M/year)

Add to Option B:

HawkEye 360 dedicated Caribbean tasking ($1.5M-$2M)
Airbus Zephyr HAPS for persistent single-area coverage ($2M-$3M)
Dedicated Saildrone Voyager fleet (4 units) ($2M-$3M)
Full Windward MIOC with embedded analyst ($500K)

Year 1 Setup Cost (one-time, add to annual)

Item	Cost
MOC facility setup	$650K-$1.4M
Baseline coastline survey (Phase 1)	$320K-$580K
Training	$160K-$320K
ScanEagle procurement (2 systems)	$1.6M-$3.2M
Year 1 additional	$2.7M-$5.5M

Year 1 total (Option B): $6.9M-$12.3M

Year 2+ (Option B): $4.2M-$6.8M/year

10. THE DEFENSIBLE LINE

"$5M/year buys you eyes on every beach in Haiti."

This is defensible because:

$5M is the midpoint of Option B ($4.2M-$6.8M), which provides daily SAR coverage, weekly optical on priority zones, RF dark vessel detection, AI-flagged anomalies, a manned operations center, and drone coverage of hotspots.

For comparison:
US spends ~$1B/year on Caribbean counter-narcotics (JIATF-South)
Australia spends AUD 67M/year ($44M) on Pacific maritime surveillance
EUNAVFOR MED IRINI common costs: EUR 16.35M/year ($17.8M)
HawkEye 360 alone: $98.8M Navy contract (Indo-Pacific)
MSS Haiti budget: ~$600M/year kinetic operations
$5M is 0.83% of the MSS kinetic budget

What $5M actually delivers:
Identification of an estimated 100-300 informal landing sites along 1,771 km of coastline
Daily vessel movement tracking for all AIS-equipped vessels + RF detection of dark vessels
Monthly change detection to identify NEW landing sites as they emerge
Real-time drone surveillance of the top 10-20 trafficking hotspots
AI-automated anomaly alerts: "New clearing detected at coordinates X,Y" or "Unusual vessel cluster at 0300 at location Z"
Fusion with existing JIATF-South/SeaVision feeds (free)

What it does NOT cover (limitations to disclose):
Small wooden boats (<5m) remain difficult to detect by SAR alone
Cloud cover limits optical imagery (mitigated by SAR)
Landing sites deep in mangrove channels may require ground-truth verification
Requires sustained political will and operational continuity
Does not include interdiction costs (patrol boats, coast guard operations)

11. PROCUREMENT PATHWAY

Free/Existing Resources (Start Immediately)

Resource	Provider	Cost	Action
SeaVision access	US Navy/Volpe Center	Free	Request partner nation access for Haiti
Global Fishing Watch	Non-profit	Free	Register for API access, Caribbean dark vessel data
Copernicus Maritime Surveillance	EU/EMSA	Free (via UNODC)	Request UNODC GMCP to activate for Haiti
Sentinel-1 SAR archive	ESA	Free	Download and process for baseline coastline mapping
Planet NICFI tropical baselines	Planet/Norway	Free	Monthly 4.77m resolution for tropical countries

Phase 1: Quick Wins ($500K, 3 months)

Activate SeaVision + Global Fishing Watch + Copernicus (free)
Conduct baseline optical + SAR survey of full coastline ($320K-$580K)
Run AI landing site identification on baseline imagery ($50K-$80K)
Produce first-ever complete map of Haiti informal maritime landing sites

Phase 2: Operational Capability ($2.5M, 6-12 months)

Establish MOC with 6-person team
Begin monthly change detection cycle
Deploy 1x ScanEagle system
Integrate AIS feed + Windward analytics

Phase 3: Full MDA ($5M+, 12-18 months)

Scale to daily SAR + weekly optical
Add HawkEye 360 RF detection
Deploy 2nd ScanEagle system
Train Haitian operators for sustainability

SOURCES AND METHODOLOGY

Pricing Methodology

All pricing estimates are based on:

Published reseller pricing (SkyFi 2025 pricing sheet, LAND INFO January 2026 pricing, Geopera pricing, Planet published pricing)
Government contract disclosures (HawkEye 360 $98.8M Navy IDIQ, Umbra $60M STRATFI, Spire EUR 8.4M EMSA contract)
Industry analyst estimates (Statista, Geoawesome, ongeo-intelligence)
Direct comparison with analogous programs (EUNAVFOR MED, Australia PMSP, JIATF-South)

Where provider pricing is not public (Capella, ICEYE enterprise, HawkEye 360), estimates are derived from contract values, reseller margins, and industry benchmarks. All estimates should be validated with direct provider quotes before budgeting.

Key Sources

UNODC, "Explainer: Organized crime and gang violence in Haiti" (January 2026)
UNODC, "Haiti's Criminal Markets: Mapping Trends in Firearms and Drug Trafficking" (2023)
UNODC, UN Security Council Briefing on Haiti (January 21, 2026)
SkyFi, "Imagery Pricing 2025" (skyfi.com/files/SkyFi_Pricing_2025.pdf)
LAND INFO, "Imagery Pricing, $ USD per km2 January 2026" (landinfo.com)
Planet Labs, published pricing (planet.com/pricing)
Geopera, pricing (geopera.com/pricing)
HawkEye 360, US Navy IDIQ renewal ($98.8M, December 2025)
HawkEye 360, India FMS ($131M, May 2025)
Spire Global, EMSA contract (EUR 8.4M, February 2024)
Umbra, STRATFI agreement ($60M, 2024)
EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, Council mandate extension (March 2025)
Australia PMSP, Defence Activities (defence.gov.au)
Saildrone, Operation Southern Spear (February 2025)
CBO, "Usage Patterns and Costs of Unmanned Aerial Systems" (2021)
EMSA, CleanSeaNet/Copernicus Maritime Surveillance service documentation
Global Fishing Watch, Dark Vessels research project documentation

Analysis prepared for BARSS/Project Diamond Spear

"$5M/year. Eyes on every beach in Haiti. That is less than 1% of the kinetic budget."

Scorched Sea: Haiti's Maritime Domain Blindness

126,760 km² of ocean. $0.30 per km² in revenue. 64,008 hours of ghost ship activity. A coast guard with 8 boats for 1,535 km. 47 charts. 408 sourced facts. One night.

Contents

Executive Summary

Key Findings

Haiti's Exclusive Economic Zone

PART I: HAITI'S MARITIME ZONES

1. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

2. Territorial Sea (12 NM)

3. Contiguous Zone (24 NM)

4. Continental Shelf

5. Coastline

6. Key Ratios

PART II: UNCLOS & LEGAL STATUS

UNCLOS Ratification

Maritime Boundary Agreements

EEZ Boundary Neighbors

The Navassa Island Problem

PART III: COMPARATIVE EEZ DATA

A. Caribbean Nations

B. Regional Comparators (Latin America)

C. Pacific Island States (Large EEZ Benchmark)

PART IV: HAITI'S EEZ IN CONTEXT

Haiti's Maritime Disadvantage

The EEZ Compression Effect

PART V: MARITIME REVENUE COMPARISON

What Haiti Earns from Its EEZ

Haiti Fisheries Profile

What Caribbean Peers Earn

Jamaica

Bahamas

Barbados

Kiribati (Gold Standard for EEZ Revenue)

Revenue Per km2 Comparison

PART VI: THEORETICAL REVENUE POTENTIAL

Scenario Analysis: If Haiti's EEZ Were Managed Like Peers

Conservative Estimate: Fishing Licenses Alone

Medium-Term Blue Economy Potential

PART VII: EEDTM INTEGRATION

Haiti's Maritime Extraction Theta

The Navassa Extraction

Continental Shelf: A Forfeited Asset

PART VIII: KEY FINDINGS & STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS

10 Key Findings

Strategic Implications for BARSS

SOURCES

Primary Data Sources

Fisheries & Revenue Sources

Maritime Boundary Sources

UNCLOS Sources

Comparative Data

Opacity Flags

Executive Summary

1. BOLIVIA (10,488 hours in Haiti EEZ)

The Absurdity: A Landlocked Flag State

Registry Details

Why Bolivia's Flag Is a Red Flag

Known Incidents

2. TOGO (12,062 hours in Haiti EEZ, concentrated at Ile de la Gonave)

Registry Details

Why Togo Is Among the Worst Flags in the World

KEY INCIDENT: Norma H II (Togo-flagged, $27M cash seizure in Caribbean)

Additional Incident: MV Raider

3. VANUATU (13,344 hours in Haiti EEZ)

Registry Details

Why Vanuatu Is a Critical Opacity Flag

4. COMOROS (84 hours in Haiti EEZ)

Registry Details

Why Comoros Is the Gold Standard of Opacity

5. TANZANIA / ZANZIBAR (3,527 hours in Haiti EEZ)

Registry Details

Key Incident: FMS Eagle ($165M cocaine seizure, Feb 2026)

6. HONDURAS (5,331 hours in Haiti EEZ)

Registry Details

The Closure and Reopening

Geographic Proximity

7. ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES (19,172 hours... 7.7% of Haiti's total EEZ traffic)

Registry Details

Why SVG Matters

8. THE "GRAVEYARD FLAGS" HIERARCHY