A liquefied natural gas tanker, the Vivit Africa LNG, encountered a systems failure while en route from the US to Europe, which the crew suspects may have been a cyber attack. The incident occurred earlier this month as the vessel was navigating through the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas towards Italy. Reports indicate that the crew lost access to critical internal control systems, prompting concerns about cybersecurity. Vitol Group, which has leased the ship under a time charter, confirmed its involvement but did not provide further comments.
Following the malfunction, the Vivit Africa LNG remained off the Italian coast without unloading its cargo before changing course back towards Spain’s Algeciras port. The crew promptly reported the incident to Korean Register, the technical and safety advisor for the South Korean-owned vessel, and investigations are currently underway. However, there are no leads on the identity of the potential perpetrator.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of cybersecurity threats targeting maritime vessels. In late August, two oil and gas tankers off the US coast were boarded due to similar concerns. The Vivit Africa LNG had recently loaded its cargo at Louisiana’s Cameron LNG terminal, and as it approached Italy, it faced technical difficulties that disrupted its journey. The Italian Coast Guard intervened for navigation safety after the crew reported the malfunction, although the exact cause remains undetermined.
