The LNG tanker Vivit Africa LNG suffered a systems failure while sailing from the United States to Italy, with its crew reporting the incident as a suspected cyber attack, according to people familiar with the matter.
The South Korean-owned vessel was sailing east through the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas toward Rovigo in early September when crew members were suddenly unable to access certain internal control systems. The tanker had loaded its cargo at Cameron LNG in Louisiana and had crossed the Atlantic before the technical issues interrupted its voyage near its intended Italian destination.
Context: Tankers Intelligence File
Vitol Group confirmed that the vessel is under a long-term time charter to the trading company, but did not provide further comment.
Operational context
After waiting off the Italian coast without discharging its cargo, the Vivit Africa LNG began sailing away from Rovigo on Wednesday, heading toward Algeciras in southern Spain, according to shipping data compiled by Bloomberg.
The crew reported the incident to Korean Register early last week. Korean Register acts as technical and safety adviser to the vessel. Investigations remain under way, and there are currently no indications of who may have been responsible if the systems failure was caused by a cyber attack.
The Italian Coast Guard said it assisted the tanker after its master reported a malfunction involving systems used to monitor cargo parameters. Captain Roberto D’Arrigo said company technicians were required to intervene, while the cause of the problem could not be determined.
The Chioggia Coast Guard’s involvement was limited to navigational safety, issuing an urgent notice to mariners to remain clear of the vessel, D’Arrigo said.
Korean Register and vessel owner H-Line Shipping Co. Ltd. did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Kongsberg Maritime, whose equipment was used on the tanker, said it was aware of reports concerning the incident but that it was too early to reach conclusions about the cause or potential security implications.
The case follows other potential cyber-related incidents involving tankers. In late August, the US Coast Guard and Federal Bureau of Investigation boarded two oil and gas tankers off the US coast in connection with potential cyber attacks. American authorities are monitoring nearly 20 vessels worldwide for related threats.
The Vivit Africa LNG incident highlights the operational consequences that can arise when shipboard systems become unavailable, particularly on vessels carrying LNG cargoes and approaching discharge ports. While the crew’s report identified a suspected cyber attack, the cause of the systems failure has not been established.