Chinese cranes at Tacoma, other ports, are potential espionage risks, investigation finds
Chinese-made shipping cranes — those giant structures that tower over the Port of Tacoma — are a cyber security and national security threat for the United States, a joint U.S. Congressional report issued Sept. 12 contends.
The danger comes from Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries’ (ZPMC) cranes, many of which are used in Tacoma, that could be used to spy on shipping movements or even cripple the cranes if a conflict rose with Beijing, according to the report.
“The evidence gathered during our joint investigation indicates that ZPMC could, if desired, serve as a Trojan horse capable of helping the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) and the PRC (People’s Republic of China) military exploit and manipulate U.S. maritime equipment and technology at their request,” the group that compiled the report said in a statement. “This vulnerability in our critical infrastructure has the potential to affect Americans from coast to coast.”
The investigation was conducted by Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party Chair John Moolenaar (R-Michigan), House Committee on Homeland Security Chair Mark Green (R-Tennessee), and Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security Chair Carlos Gimenez (R-Florida). The report contends that ZPMC has pressured ports to allow them remote access.
Local response
In a statement to The News Tribune on Sept. 12, the Northwest Seaport Alliance said it is reviewing the report and will continue to work with its maritime-security partners on the safety of cargo operations in Tacoma and Seattle.
“The Northwest Seaport Alliance has a strong security program in place and has undertaken penetration and threat assessments on crane operations prior to the commissioning of the Select Committee’s study,” spokesperson Melanie Stambaugh said.
The Select Committee began investigating the matter in 2023 after The Wall Street Journal first reported that modems and other electronic equipment installed in the cranes, ostensibly for monitoring performance, could also be used to hack into the crane’s operating systems and monitor cargo, including military equipment.
The Port of Tacoma is designated as a strategic seaport for Joint Base Lewis-McChord and as a U.S. Commercial Strategic Seaport, Stambaugh said.
“The Port of Seattle does not have that distinction from the U.S. military,” she said.
Chinese ownership
The investigation revealed that two PRC state-owned enterprises control portions of five U.S. ports, including Seattle.
Chinese manufacturers have a near monopoly on the huge cranes needed for modern shipping, the report said. In 2023, Stambaugh said the same. An estimated 80 percent of cranes at U.S. ports were made by ZPMC.
“There are currently no American-made super post-panamax cranes available on the market,” Stambaugh said in 2023. Super Post-panamax, manufactured by ZPMC, are among the largest cranes in use at the port.
In 2023, President Biden announced that the United States would invest $20 billion in port security and to manufacture shipping container cranes domestically.
The Chinese government has been wholly dismissive of the claims.
This story was originally published September 13, 2024 at 9:00 AM.
