French maritime data analytics platform Kpler is in talks to acquire ship tracking company Spire Maritime for $241 million. The deal, announced on Nov. 13, would give Kpler control over Spire’s satellites and maritime Automatic Identification System (AIS) data stream, which offers real-time ship tracking globally, particularly in the open ocean with a refresh rate of every 15 minutes. Spire’s advanced technology allows it to track tens of thousands more ships than its competitors, making it a valuable resource for various customers, including cargo trackers, the U.S. Department of Defense, intelligence agencies, commercial maritime companies, and commodities and energy desks at Wall Street firms who use it for trading oil contracts.
Spire’s satellite data is crucial for oil traders and shipping companies due to its unmatched capabilities in ship tracking. The acquisition has raised concerns among some Spire customers who fear that Kpler may cut them off and have raised antitrust concerns with U.S. authorities. Spire’s data is also used by analytics companies like Veson Nautical and ShipTracks, as well as shipping and cruise companies. If the deal goes through, Spire will continue to service existing contracts with the U.S. government for maritime data.
Kpler has been actively acquiring competitors to strengthen its marine traffic and fleet monitoring capabilities. The company’s acquisition spree, which includes previous purchases of UK-based MarineTraffic and Norwegian firm Nortek, has raised concerns about its growing dominance in the maritime data market. The acquisition of MarineTraffic led to a loss of data access for some analytics companies outside Kpler’s targeted customer base. Additionally, there are worries that Kpler’s vertical integration could impact pricing and stifle innovation in the industry.