LNG Tanker Diverts from Italy Following Suspected Cyberattack

A liquefied natural gas tanker transporting a U.S. cargo to Europe has diverted from its destination after experiencing a systems failure that the crew reported as a suspected cyberattack, according to a report from Bloomberg.

Systems Failure at Sea

The vessel, the Vivit Africa LNG, was sailing in the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas toward Italy in early September when the incident occurred. The crew reportedly lost access to some of the ship's internal control systems used to monitor its cargo. The tanker had loaded its LNG cargo at the Cameron LNG terminal in Louisiana.

Trading company Vitol Group confirmed it has the South Korean-owned vessel on a long-term lease, known as a time charter, but did not provide further comment, the report said. The crew reported the incident to the Korean Register, which serves as the ship's technical and safety adviser, and an investigation is ongoing.

Cargo Rerouted

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After the malfunction, the tanker stopped off the coast of Italy without unloading its cargo at its intended destination of Rovigo. According to shipping data compiled by Bloomberg, the vessel began sailing away from Italy on Wednesday and headed back toward the Spanish port of Algeciras.

Captain Roberto D'Arrigo of the Italian Coast Guard stated that the agency assisted the vessel "after the master reported a malfunction in the systems used to monitor cargo parameters." He added that the cause of the problem could not be identified and that the coast guard's involvement was for navigation safety purposes.

Broader Security Concerns

This event highlights increasing concerns over cybersecurity in the global maritime industry. The suspected hacking follows incidents in late August when the U.S. Coast Guard and FBI boarded two oil and gas tankers off the U.S. coast due to potential cyber threats. According to the report, American officials are now monitoring nearly 20 ships around the world for similar risks, signaling heightened vigilance over the security of critical energy supply chains.