by Henry Clack, Associate, HFW

As for all businesses, ransomware is a significant issue for the shipping industry.

There have been a series of high-profile attacks on the sector in recent years. In 2021, Swire Pacific Offshore was reportedly the victim of a cyber attack. Whilst its fleet of roughly 50 vessels was not materially affected, the attack is understood to have caused a significant loss to the company.

Historically, shipowners have viewed their ships as being relatively immune to these sorts of attacks as, due to their very nature, they have been 'air-gapped' from the rest of the owners' IT network.

This is, however, no longer the case.

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