(Bloomberg) — A liquefied natural gas tanker called Vivit Africa LNG, transporting fuel from the US to Europe, experienced a systems failure that the crew suspects might be a cyber attack, as reported by sources familiar with the situation.
Earlier this month, while navigating the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas towards Italy, the crew suddenly lost access to some internal control systems. The sources, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that the information has not yet been made public.
Vitol Group, the trading company that has the tanker on a long-term lease, confirmed its involvement but did not provide any further comments.
After idling off the coast of Italy without unloading its cargo, the tanker began heading back to the Spanish port of Algeciras instead of its intended destination in Rovigo on Wednesday, according to shipping data from Bloomberg.
The crew reported the issue to Korean Register, the organization that provides technical and safety advice for the South Korean-owned vessel, early last week. Investigations into the incident are still ongoing, and there are currently no clues regarding who might be behind the suspected attack.
Korean Register and H-Line Shipping Co. Ltd., the owner of the Vivit Africa LNG, did not respond right away to requests for comments.
This suspected hacking incident follows similar events in late August when two oil and gas tankers off the US coast were boarded by the Coast Guard and the Federal Bureau of Investigation due to potential cyber threats. American authorities are keeping an eye on nearly 20 ships worldwide for similar risks.
The tanker had loaded its cargo at the Cameron LNG terminal in Louisiana and was nearing its destination in early September when the crew encountered technical issues that delayed their journey.
Captain Roberto D’Arrigo stated via email that the Italian Coast Guard assisted the vessel after the captain reported a malfunction in the systems that monitor cargo parameters, leading to intervention by the company's technicians. The cause of the issue remains unidentified, and the Chioggia Coast Guard intervened only for safety reasons, issuing an urgent notice to nearby mariners.
The Vivit Africa LNG uses equipment from Kongsberg Maritime, a provider of positioning, navigation, and propulsion technology for ships. A spokesman for the company, Jon Berge, acknowledged awareness of the reports but stated that it is too early to conclude the cause or any potential security implications.