Suspect Comms Equipment Found on Chinese-built Cranes by USA

An investigation by US Congress has identified potentially troubling components in the ship-to-shore cranes at American ports constructed by Chinese companies, specifically highlighting cellular modems that could be accessed from afar, as detailed in a Wall Street Journal article.

This revelation comes after the Biden administration's move to swap out the Chinese-manufactured port cranes for those made in Japan due to fears they might contain espionage tools.

Mark Green, a GOP lawmaker and the head of the House Homeland Security Committee, commented to the Wall Street Journal, stating, "The Chinese government is aggressively seeking to gather precious intelligence and position itself to take advantage of weaknesses by infiltrating America's essential infrastructure, including maritime operations."

In response, Liu Pengyu, a representative for the Chinese embassy in Washington, labeled the allegations as "purely baseless fears."

The shift in attention towards crane security and maritime safety has prompted an alert among western nations, according to Wille Rydman, Finland's economic affairs minister, during an interview with the same publication. Similarly, a British Conservative party MP has expressed concerns regarding the Chinese-manufactured cranes.

ZPMC, a Chinese firm, has secured a leading role in the global market for ship-to-shore cranes, boasting an approximately 80% market share. Besides manufacturing these towering structures, ZPMC also operates a specialized fleet of 26 vessels capable of transporting the cranes worldwide. These vessels can carry cranes as tall as 138 meters, akin to a 34-floor skyscraper.