Cyberattacks Disrupt Tankers as US Investigates Maritime Threat

US Coast Guard personnel and FBI agents boarded two Texas-bound energy tankers in August 2026 after cyberattacks struck the vessels while they were under way, according to US officials. One was the 1,093-foot Liberian-flagged VL Prosperity, carrying about 2.3 million barrels of oil from Egypt to Galveston. The ship reportedly suffered an attack on 7 August near the Strait of Gibraltar and communications were disrupted for about 30 hours.

Iranian state media claimed attackers accessed propulsion, navigation and cargo systems, including cooling, engine-speed and fuel controls, but those claims have not been independently verified.

Rear Adm. Amy Grable, commander of US Coast Guard Cyber Command, said investigators found evidence of malicious cyber activity after examining the vessel’s IT and onboard systems. However, the Coast Guard has not attributed either incident to Iran and is still assessing whether the attacks were connected or carried out by a foreign adversary. Responders found no evidence that VL Prosperity was unsafe to navigate when they boarded it. Investigators searched for malware and examined whether IT systems were linked to propulsion, navigation and other safety-critical equipment.

The incidents highlight risks created by connected maritime systems, including satellite communications and networks supporting navigation, steering, ballast and propulsion. Officials warned that successful disruption could cause a collision, pollution incident or blockage at a port; about $5.4 trillion in annual commerce passes through US ports. Experts said full remote control of a supertanker is unlikely, but interference with critical systems could make a vessel unsafe or cause it to run aground. Suggested measures include network segmentation, phishing protection and stronger basic cyber hygiene.