最航运 | 罢工升级+黑客攻击！澳大利亚港口物流告急！

Management of nearly half of Australia's inbound and outbound cargo, handled by DP World Australia, has been severely disrupted following a cyberattack that paralyzed multiple container terminals[1]. The impacted terminals include Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Fremantle in Western Australia.

Australian Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil stated on social media platform X (formerly Twitter): "The cybersecurity incident involving DP World is severe and ongoing." DP World is currently investigating possible data breaches and testing systems crucial for restoring normal operations[1].

Tens of thousands of containers filled with consumer goods such as electronics, clothing, and food are stranded across Australian ports. The shutdown has caused around 30,000 containers to be inaccessible at the affected terminals, including refrigerated containers potentially holding items like lobster, wagyu beef, and blood plasma.

Although ships can still physically load and unload containers, the technical system enabling data exchange between trucks and terminals has been shut down. This prevents trucks from entering DP World's facilities, leading to a rapid pileup of containers occupying approximately 90% of terminal stacking space within just two days[1].

On Sunday afternoon, DP World began testing alternative solutions for its conventional technology systems. However, these alternatives may not operate at full scale. Containers expected for delivery on Friday might only reach customers as early as Monday or Tuesday, assuming DP World successfully restores its data systems. Delays could lead to a "snowball effect" due to challenges in reassigning import/export berth positions once systems are restored[1].

No ransom demands have been made against DP World Australia thus far, and the organization responsible for the attack remains unidentified. Investigations are being conducted by the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Cyber Security Centre[1].

In addition to the cyberattack, labor actions have also impacted DP World terminals. Some import containers at DP World terminals have already been stranded for over a week, with delays possibly extending for several more days or even weeks[1].

Shipping lines, including Maersk, continue to provide updates regarding disruptions. For example, Maersk announced it had received notifications from CFMMEU (a division of the Maritime Union of Australia) about additional protected industrial actions at all DP World terminals until November 20, 2023. The following planned disruptions were outlined:

According to the latest annual container port monitoring report released in December 2022 by Australia's competition regulator, DP World handles approximately 2 million TEUs annually, slightly less than competitor Patrick's 2.1 million TEUs. Other operators include Victoria International Container Terminal and Hutchinson Port Holdings, managing fewer than 500,000 TEUs annually[1].