The use of Automated Identification Systems has become a focus of attention in the context of sanctions and is now seen by governmental and inter-governmental agencies as an important tool in the enforcement of national and international sanctions. Almost all ships in commercial operation are required to have AIS on board in order to comply with SOLAS Chapter V on Safety of Navigation Regulation 19. This equipment must of course not only be kept on board – it must also be used. Paragraph 2.4 of Regulation 19 provides that "AIS shall be operated taking into account the guidelines adopted by the [International Maritime] Organization. Ships fitted with AIS shall maintain AIS in operation at all times except where international agreements, rules or standards provide for the protection of navigational information." This is supplemented by IMO Guidelines adopted in 2015 which provide as follows: Activation 22. AIS should always be in operation when ships are underway or at anchor. If the master believes that the continual operation of AIS might compromise the safety or security of his/her ship or where security incidents are imminent, the AIS may be switched off. Unless it would further compromise the safety or security, if the ship is operating in a mandatory ship reporting system, the master should report this action and the reason for doing so to the competent authority. Actions of this nature should always be recorded in the ship's logbook together with the reason for doing so. The master should however restart the AIS as soon as the source of danger has disappeared. There are therefore very limited circumstances in which switching AIS off is permitted under SOLAS. There must be clear reasons for doing so which must be recorded in the log book and the AIS must be switched on again at the earliest opportunity. The authorities must be informed if the vessel is in an area subject to mandatory reporting. Failure to comply SOLAS will generally amount to a breach of the ter