US Coast Guard boards oil tanker in cyberattack investigation

No operational disruptions or injuries occurred, the US Coast Guard said.

WASHINGTON – US military forces and FBI agents boarded a Texas-bound oil tanker to investigate a cyberattack, the Coast Guard confirmed late on Sept 15. 

Coast Guard personnel and the Federal Bureau of Investigation boarded the foreign-flagged vessel on Aug 21 following indications its network had been compromised by overseas cyberactors, a spokesperson for the agency said in response to questions from Bloomberg News. 

The VL Prosperity very large crude carrier, or VLCC, is currently positioned near the Texas coastal town of Galveston, ship-tracking data shows. 

The tanker’s captain, crew, and shore-based staff cooperated with the investigation, the Coast Guard said. No operational disruptions or injuries occurred. 

“The Coast Guard is actively managing communications with port operators, vessel owners, and local maritime stakeholders to ensure port operations continue safely and without interruption,” the agency said.

Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency reported in late August that the VL Prosperity had communications cut for 30 hours following a cyberattack in the Strait of Gibraltar. BLOOMBERG