The Vivit Africa LNG fleet, which was transporting liquefied natural gas from the United States to Europe, faced a system disruption earlier this month that its crew reported as a suspicious cyber attack. The fleet was en route to Italy in the Mediterranean Sea and Adriatic Sea when it suddenly lost access to some of its internal control systems.
Long-Term Charter Confirmation by Vitol Group
The trading company Vitol Group has confirmed that the vessel is under a long-term charter known as a "time charter," but has not provided further details on the matter. After stopping off the coast of Italy without unloading its cargo, the fleet did not proceed to its original destination in Rovigo on Wednesday and returned towards the Spanish port of Algeciras near the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea.
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Incident Report to Korean Registry
The crew of the vessel reported the incident to the Korean registry, which serves as the technical and safety advisor for this South Korean-owned fleet. An investigation is underway, and there are no signs of identifying a potential perpetrator of this attack. This incident follows other similar occurrences in late August, where two oil tankers and gas carriers were investigated off the coast of the United States.
Cargo Details and Fleet Status
The fleet had loaded its cargo at the LNG terminal in Louisiana. Ship tracking data indicates that the fleet approached its destination in early September after crossing the Atlantic but encountered technical issues. The Italian Coast Guard assisted the fleet, and Captain Roberto d'Arigo stated that after reporting a malfunction in the systems used to monitor cargo parameters, the need for technician intervention was felt.
However, the cause of the problem was not determined, and the Chioggia Coast Guard acted solely to maintain navigational safety and issued an urgent notice to mariners to keep their distance. This incident highlights growing concerns about cybersecurity in the maritime transport industry.
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