[Thank You Rush]

Can someone interpret this? What the dickens does “these ships are off” mean? Were three ships sunk or were three ships missing or did three ships leave the port?

“”Three ships were berthed near explosion site, AIS of all these ships are off during last 14-16 hours, immediately or shortly after, the blast. General cargo ship MERO STAR, IMO 8321682, dwt 4110; general cargo ship RAOUF H, IMO 8325535, dwt 6343; Livestock carrier JOURI, IMO 9174775, GT 4033.””

[robowombat]

I think the writer ‘gone’ as disappeared.

[100American]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91uwQAYO1P8

Better explanation that fills in some gaps

[ltc8k6]

AIS
Automatic Identification System

https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=aismain

[Alberta's Child]

AIS is automatic identification system. It’s a GPS-based tracking and identification system for ships. The article is simply saying that the AIS tracking for those three ships got shut off somehow during the previous 14-16 hours — most likely when the ships exploded and were destroyed.

[enraged]

AIS. automatic identification system.