LNG Tanker Diverts After Suspected Cyberattack on Voyage to Italy

The Vivit Africa LNG, carrying a cargo of U.S. natural gas, has left Italian waters 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 vessel had been sailing through the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas toward Italy in early September when the crew reported the systems failure. The tanker was due to deliver its cargo at Rovigo, Italy, but instead remained off the Italian coast without unloading before beginning a voyage toward Algeciras, Spain, this week, according to shipping data. The vessel had loaded its cargo at the Cameron LNG terminal in Louisiana before crossing the Atlantic. Vitol Group confirmed it holds the tanker under a long-term time charter but declined further comment. The crew reported the problem to Korean Register, the technical and safety adviser to the South Korean-owned ship. The Italian Coast Guard said it assisted the vessel after its master reported a malfunction affecting cargo-monitoring systems, and the Chioggia Coast Guard issued an urgent notice asking other ships to keep their distance. Captain Roberto D'Arrigo said company technicians intervened but could not identify the cause. Kongsberg Maritime, which supplies navigation and propulsion systems to the vessel, said it was too early to determine the cause or any security implications. The incident remains under investigation, with no indication yet of responsibility. It follows separate cyber-related incidents in late August, when U.S. Coast Guard and FBI personnel boarded two oil and gas tankers off the U.S. coast over suspected hacking. U.S. officials are reportedly monitoring nearly 20 ships worldwide for possible cyber threats.