LNG Tanker Carrying US Cargo To Europe Turns Back After Crew Reports Suspected Cyberattack

An LNG tanker carrying U.S. natural gas to Europe has left Italy after its crew lost access to some internal control systems in an incident suspected of being caused by a cyberattack, people familiar with the matter said.

The Vivit Africa LNG was sailing through the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas towards Italy early this month when the crew reported a systems failure.

The incident disrupted the ship’s voyage as U.S. officials monitor nearly 20 ships around the world for possible cyber threats.

The tanker was due to deliver its LNG cargo to Rovigo in Italy but stayed off the Italian coast without unloading.

On Wednesday, it began sailing towards Algeciras in Spain, near the entrance to the Mediterranean, according to shipping data compiled by Bloomberg.

The incident remains under investigation, and there is no indication of who may have been behind the suspected attack.

The crew reported the problem early last week to Korean Register, which acts as the technical and safety adviser to the South Korean-owned vessel.

Trading company Vitol Group confirmed that it has the vessel under a long-term lease, known as a time charter, but declined to comment further.

The Vivit Africa LNG loaded its cargo at the Cameron LNG terminal in Louisiana, according to ship-tracking data. It then crossed the Atlantic and was approaching Europe in early September when the crew encountered the technical problems that stopped the voyage.

The Italian Coast Guard said it assisted the tanker after its master reported a malfunction affecting systems used to monitor cargo parameters.

Captain Roberto D’Arrigo said in an emailed statement that the problem required technicians from the company to intervene. He said the cause of the malfunction could not be identified.

The Chioggia Coast Guard intervened to help ensure the vessel could navigate safely and issued an urgent notice to mariners asking other ships to keep their distance from the tanker, D’Arrigo said.

The Coast Guard confirmed that the vessel had suffered a systems malfunction but did not establish that it was caused by a cyberattack.

The tanker is also equipped with systems supplied by Kongsberg Maritime, which provides positioning, navigation and propulsion technology for ships.

Kongsberg said it was aware of reports about the incident but that it was too early to determine its cause or any possible security implications.

The suspected hacking comes after other cyber incidents involving tankers in late August.

Two oil and gas tankers off the U.S. coast were boarded by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Federal Bureau of Investigation over potential cyberattacks.

References: Bloomberg, Insurance Journal