Foreign ship gets penalty for illegally using Starlink within Chinese waters, report says

China has issued a penalty to a foreign vessel for illegally using Starlink – SpaceX’s satellite-based internet service – within Chinese waters in the first case of its kind, according to local media.\nThe vessel, which was not identified, was found with a “micro rectangular antenna” installed on its top deck during a routine inspection by maritime law enforcement officers at Ningbo port in Zhejiang province, state-run Ningbo Daily reported on Wednesday.\nThe Ningbo Maritime Safety Administration said the antenna was “significantly different from standard maritime safety communication equipment”, according to the report.\nIt was later confirmed to be a “low-Earth orbit [LEO] satellite communication device manufactured by a foreign company” and the vessel was found to have continued using the device to transmit data after entering Chinese territorial waters, the report said.\nThe brand of the device was not named in the report but it was identifiable in the photos as a Starlink terminal.\n\nIt said the case was the first successful regulatory action of its kind dealing with “illegal use of LEO satellite communication” within Chinese waters.\nThe report did not specify what penalty was applied to the vessel or its owner.\nStarlink is banned in China – it is viewed by Beijing as a national security threat and SpaceX has not been given a licence to operate in the country.\nChina has rolled out a series of laws and regulations prohibiting foreign companies from operating basic telecoms services in the country, including satellite internet. The latest was a direct-to-device satellite services regulation that took effect in June.\nSatellite communication within China must be routed through domestic gateways under Chinese legislation. But Starlink transmits data directly to foreign gateways, which authorities view as a serious threat to national communication security.\nIn addition, any use of radio devices or frequencies within China must be officially approved. The Starlink devices – which are essentially a radio transceiver – have not been granted this permission for use in China.\nAccording to the report, a Starlink terminal could potentially interfere with the normal operation of other wireless equipment in the area and pose a safety risk.\nConsequently, vessels equipped with Starlink terminals are required to stop using them when they enter Chinese territory.\n\nThe report noted that enforcing this requirement was difficult due to challenges in data tracking and identification, and that many international ships may have continued using their Starlink or other LEO satellite equipment within Chinese waters.\n“Relevant illegal activities have long remained unaddressed,” the report said.\nThe Ningbo maritime authorities said they would continue to crack down on such offences.\n“We will take this landmark first case as an opportunity to continue to intensify enforcement against illegal radio communication activities in our jurisdiction and rigorously crack down on unauthorised use of satellite communication equipment,” Ma Yanchao, director of the command centre at the Ningbo Maritime Safety Administration, was quoted as saying.\n