SAEDNEWS: Cyberattacks Target Oil and Gas Tankers in Suspected Campaign Against U.S.-Owned Vessels, Russian Media Reports
According to Saednews, The latest reported incident involved the Marshall Islands-flagged LPG carrier Botan, which was targeted in a cyberattack on October 22, 2026, while sailing from Singapore to the Nederland terminal in Texas.
According to informed sources cited by a Russian-language media outlet, the attack severely disrupted the vessel’s cargo monitoring and control systems. The ship’s captain and owning company reportedly notified the US Coast Guard confidentially. However, amid political sensitivities and tensions in global oil and gas markets, they were allegedly instructed to keep the incident out of the public eye.
Earlier, the Liberian-flagged oil tanker VL Prosperity was targeted in an attack near Gibraltar in late August. Following its arrival in Texas, the US Coast Guard and FBI boarded the vessel and confirmed the cyber intrusion.
Another incident involved the Liberian-flagged LNG carrier Vivit Africa, which was targeted near the Italian coast in early September. The cyberattack reportedly triggered a major technical malfunction, leaving the vessel unable to discharge its cargo for several weeks.
The vessel Kohaku has also been identified among the ships affected by this reported series of cyberattacks.
