Digital piracy threatens world shipping: Explosive rise in cyber attacks

In addition to physical warfare, the shipping industry is plagued by an invisible front: cybercrime. A report by security firm Cytur shows that the number of incidents will more than double by 2025. In particular, the manipulation of GPS signals, also known as spoofing, poses an acute threat to maritime security.

GPS jamming allows ships to unknowingly deviate from their route, forcing them into forbidden territorial waters or leading to disastrous collisions. In the Persian Gulf and Red Sea region, these attacks are now a "daily reality," according to Cytur. Last year, the container ship MSC Antonia already ran aground due to such disruption. Every day, more than a thousand ships are said to be affected by signal manipulation.

Rotterdam as vulnerable hub

Not only on the high seas, but also in major ports such as Rotterdam and Los Angeles, the risk is increasing. Criminals are targeting port terminals with ransomware to completely shut down loading and unloading operations. The economic damage of such a blockade is huge, making shipping companies more likely to pay exorbitant ransoms.

"License to sail"

In Asia, 'cyber pirates' are using digital intrusions to find out which ships are carrying high-value cargo so that physical pirates can strike in a more targeted way. Experts therefore call for cybersecurity to become an official "license to sail. The industry urgently needs to move from paper rules to practical security to avoid a total logistics meltdown, according to the report.