The Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria (MASPAN) has raised alarm over the rising danger of cyber piracy, and its threats to shipping globally.
In a statement sent to Shipping Position Daily titled “A new Piracy threat has emerged –Cyber Piracy”, and signed by its president, Mr Emmanuel Maiguwa, MASPAN recalled that, “the first significant Cyber Piracy was recorded in 2019 on ships sailing to New York, which raised concern about the ability of pirates to control critical functions of the vessel through the web”.
According to the MASPAN boss, “what this means for ships is; engine/oil temperature, consumption etc, can be monitored and controlled from both onboard and ashore. So are valves, containers, crew training, Navigation and chart corrections. Interestingly, vessels’ cargo/container tracking systems give the hacker all the information about the cargo”
He added that, “while these technologies are critical to shipping, they make ships vulnerable to cyber-attack by pirates and terrorists”.
“Ships have become more advanced in machinery performance monitoring, operations, onboard training, navigation and management”, the statement added.
Explaining that, cyber pirates can indeed use their dexterity to move a ship to favourable jurisdiction.
“An example would be a ship fully designed to operate on ECDIS, and a group of Cyber Pirates can gain entrance to update the map and guide the vessel to the desired location for the attack”, it stressed.
Maiguwa however suggested that, “the digitalisation drive for the maritime and port industry should go hand-in-hand with a robust cyber security education, support and funding”.
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According to MASPAN, other measures to counter the threat of cyber piracy include: Legal frameworks should be reviewed to address this new crime’s challenges.
The group also asked, if “these Cyber-Pirates be recognised and punished as Pirates under the UNCLOS definition of Piracy? If so, the definition of Pirates in Acts such as SPOMO may have to be revisited”.
Others are that: “The Maritime Academy of Nigeria and other MTIs may consider cyber-Crime in their curriculums
The Administration, under its shipping development role, may also consider a particular Unit for Maritime Cyber Security”, MASPAN added.
Digitalisation in shipping should approach it with all readiness and responsibility, it concluded.
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