Crew claims hackers seized control of LNG carrier safety systems

Crew claims hackers seized control of LNG carrier safety systems
Sam Chambers September 21, 2026 https://splash247.com/crew-claims-hackers-seized-control-of-lng-carrier-...

A US LNG cargo bound for Italy has been diverted after the crew of its carrier reported a systems failure as a suspected cyberattack, adding to growing concerns over attacks on shipboard digital systems.

The Liberia-flagged Vivit Africa LNG, owned by South Korea’s H-Line Shipping and on long-term charter to commodities giant Vitol, had loaded at the Cameron LNG export terminal in Louisiana and was approaching the Adriatic earlier this month when crew lost access to some internal control systems.

The ship subsequently idled off Italy without discharging before abandoning its planned call at the Adriatic LNG terminal near Rovigo and heading west again towards Algeciras.

The crew reported the incident to class society Korean Register, and an investigation is continuing.

In an email sent to Splash, members of the crew described a serious sequence of events.

“We have determined that the vessel was targeted by cyber attackers prior to berthing at this terminal,” the crew wrote, saying the initial attack was intended to compromise the ship’s control systems.

They alleged that during the vessel’s transit through the Strait of Gibraltar, the attackers “gained temporary control of the steam pressure and safety valve systems”.

The crew further claimed that while the ship was transiting in the Adriatic, the attackers compromised tank pressure control systems and pressure relief valves and disrupted the boil-off gas management cycle.

“This disruption significantly increases the risk of tank rupture and explosion,” the email stated.

Splash has not independently verified the crew’s claims. Italy’s coastguard has offered a more cautious description, saying the master reported a malfunction in systems monitoring cargo parameters which required company technicians to intervene. The cause could not be determined, with the coastguard issuing a navigational warning to keep other ships clear.

The case comes amid heightened scrutiny of maritime cyber risk. Two oil and gas tankers off the US coast were boarded by the US Coast Guard and FBI in late August following suspected cyber incidents, while US authorities are reported to be watching close to 20 vessels globally for potential threats.