A new bill has been proposed to ban the use of Chinese-manufactured cranes in ports of the United States.
It also calls for authorities to review all existing cranes that are in use nationwide.
According to reports this morning, the proposed Port Crane Security and Inspection Act of 2023 would have to take any cranes that are deemed a security threat offline immediately.
The government initially suggested similar legislation last year when allegations that foreign-made cranes could be used to spy on port operations were exposed in the media.
A report this morning (*) claims that the intelligence gathered could be used to disrupt the country's supply chains, an allegation the country's port authorities vehemently denied at the time.
The latest bill was introduced as the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security held a hearing focusing on the country's port vulnerabilities on 11 May.
Officials from the US Coast Guard, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Transportation Security Administration were all summoned to appear before the committee.
"Over the past few years, I have continued to raise concern about the widespread presence of Chinese-manufactured cranes at our nation's ports,” said Carlos Gimenez, a Florida representative and chairman of the committee.
“I am particularly concerned about the use of Chinese technology and equipment, as well as the port industry's overreliance on Chinese cranes.”
About 70-80% of the large container cranes used in ports worldwide are now manufactured by Shanghai-based original equipment manufacturer, ZPMC.
The company is a lower-cost supplier that provides large ship-to-shore cranes to more than 100 countries.
John Garamendi, a representative from California who is co-sponsoring the proposed bill, said that securing the ports against "foreign cyber-attacks" was not a partisan issue.
"The best way to ensure secure critical infrastructure at our major cargo ports is to make these cranes in America," he said.
However, the American Association of Port Authorities has said the spy allegations are "sensationalised claims.”
The association said no evidence exists of the port equipment being used to track cargo operations.
It pointed out that software undergoes stringent security inspections by federal government partners and that much of it originates from firms in Japan and Sweden.
If adopted into law, the bill would require a Certified Information Systems Auditor to inspect all new cranes for potential security risks.
US ports will also be prohibited from operating foreign-manufactured cranes while ceasing to operate foreign software within five years.
* SOURCE: Maritime Exectuive.
