X-Industry

Improved satellite connectivity has made vessels more efficient at sea, but it has also left their operations and network systems more vulnerable to cyber-attacks.  That is one of the main takeaways from a newly released report, which lays out threats to the Marine Transportation System (MTS) that Coast Guard Cyber identified in 2024, as well as ways operators can strengthen their cyber defenses against them. 

The fourth annual Cyber Trends and Insights in the Marine Environment (CTIME) report i

The US Coast Guard has issued a second security directive warning that Chinese ship-to-shore cranes used widely in the United States pose a cybersecurity risk. Maritime Security Directive 105-5 calls on port operators to take “risk management” measures to mitigate the threats.

Built-in vulnerabilities for remote access and control of the cranes “combined with intelligence regarding China’s interest in disrupting US critical infrastructure, necessitate immediate action,” according to a portion of

Leaders of South Florida’s Port Everglades and Port Miami have met with US Coast Guard officials to review cybersecurity programs aimed at reducing the possibility that giant Chinese-made cranes operating at the region’s ports and others in the US pose a national security threat. 

In late February, the Biden administration announced it planned to invest billions in the US manufacture of ship-to-shore cranes that transfer millions of tons of cargo annually at major American seaports.  The action