Federal investigators are examining a series of network breaches across the global shipping industry that spans multiple continents. US government agencies are tracking active threats involving nearly 20 ships worldwide, following a cluster of attacks on maritime infrastructure. Two energy tankers heading to Texas experienced network compromises in August, including one 30 hour attack, and an LNG carrier sailing to Europe suffered a suspected breach of its control system. A container terminal in Asia halted operations following a similar incident.

FBI and Coast Guard personnel boarded the Texas bound vessels in the Gulf of Mexico on Aug. 21 and Aug. 24 to inspect propulsion and navigation systems. One tanker carried more than 2 million barrels of oil to Galveston, while the second vessel transported liquefied petroleum gas. US officials are investigating potential links to Iran or Iran aligned actors, although the attacks caused no injuries or operational disruptions.