Pole Star Defense executive to discuss hidden trade risks on GovExec webcast

Pole Star Defense Chief Data & Analytics Officer Saleem Khan will join a GovExec webcast on Aug. 26 to discuss how governments can spot hidden risks in global trade before they trigger sanctions breaches, supply disruptions or security crises. The event will focus on maritime blind spots, dark fleets and efforts to strengthen visibility across global trade networks.

Why it matters: - Global trade routes are facing more geopolitical pressure, from Arctic and Indo-Pacific tensions to sanctions evasion at sea. - Better maritime visibility can help governments detect risk earlier and reduce the chance of economic or national security disruption. - The webcast is free and open to the public, broadening access to the discussion.

What happened: - Saleem Khan, Chief Data & Analytics Officer at Pole Star Defense, will speak on GovExec’s "The Invisible Battlespace: Securing Global Trade in an Era of Hidden Risk" webcast on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026 at 2:00 PM EDT. - Khan will appear alongside Robert Borka, Associate Administrator for Strategic Sealift at the Maritime Administration, and David Hutchins, Director of Defense Technologies & Naval Systems at Forecast International. - The session will focus on how governments can improve visibility across global trade networks and modernize maritime intelligence capabilities. - Registration is available through the webcast page.

The details: - The discussion centers on contested global shipping lanes and the use of dark fleets to move sanctioned goods beyond traditional oversight. - Organizers say adversaries are exploiting blind spots across maritime networks to move resources, evade sanctions and test the resilience of global commerce. - Khan said the conversation is about closing the visibility gap so governments can identify risk before it becomes a crisis. - Pole Star Defense is the public sector division of Pole Star Global. - Pole Star Defense says it delivers maritime domain awareness and security to defense and government agencies worldwide. - Pole Star Defense says its platforms fuse vessel tracking, sanctions compliance monitoring and dark vessel detection into continuous, actionable intelligence. - Pole Star Defense says it is trusted by more than 60 nations, including the U.S., U.K. and Canada. - A LinkedIn page for Pole Star Global is available here.

Between the lines: - The event reflects growing concern that maritime security and trade compliance are now tightly linked. - The speaker lineup mixes industry and government voices, signaling a focus on operational visibility rather than abstract policy debate. - The emphasis on dark fleets suggests sanctions enforcement is becoming a central issue in broader trade security conversations.

What's next: - The webcast will take place Aug. 26 and is expected to highlight tools and partnerships aimed at improving maritime awareness. - The discussion may point to stronger coordination between governments and private-sector intelligence providers as trade risks evolve. - Pole Star Defense is likely to use the event to reinforce its role in maritime monitoring for public sector customers.