National Defense

US Is ‘Dangerously Reliant’ On Chinese Cranes Deeply Embedded In America’s Major Ports, House Investigation Finds

Tyler Casey/Unsplash

The U.S. is “dangerously reliant” on Chinese-provided cargo cranes at American seaports located throughout the country, according to the findings of a congressional probe released Thursday.

It’s not uncommon for seaport cranes to have technology embedded that provides tracking or diagnostic information, but the congressional investigation found that the cranes in question — made by company ZPMC — could be accessed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), given that the country’s laws mandate that the company comply with the government. The cranes, made by Chinese company ZPMC, make up roughly 80% of the seaport cranes across the U.S.

“Through ZPMC port cranes, the Chinese Communist Party has infiltrated a strategic choke point of U.S. critical infrastructure, giving them a potential window into cargo entering and exiting our nation’s ports,” House Select Committee on the CCP Chairman John Moolenaar said in a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation. “If we don’t act now to harden our port infrastructure, we can expect our chief adversary to hold U.S. ports hostage in a time of conflict, disrupting U.S. trade flows, leveraging the years of sensitive trade data and potentially even disrupting the flow of U.S. forces into key theaters.”

The technology inside the cranes — which has been a U.S. national security concern for months — are cellular modems, according to the probe, which was conducted jointly by the House Homeland Security Committee and Select Committee on the CCP.

In some instances, the modems were installed without port authorities’ knowledge, and ZPMC would at times pressure port operators to let the company maintain remote access to the cranes, according to the probe.

“Some ports insist on securing their assets, but many cave to the pressure. In speaking with industry and security stakeholders, the Committees found that pushing back on ZPMC demands—including allowing for remote access—is difficult for customers who are looking to get the lowest price or guarantee a robust warranty policy,” the report reads.

The potential risks posed by the cranes “could be devastating for our homeland security if we do not correct course quickly,” Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rep. Mark Green told the DCNF. “This report should spur industry stakeholders, port authorities and the federal government to address this threat head-on before it worsens.”

ZPMC did not respond to a request for comment. The company had been willing to work with Congress on the matter earlier this year, according to the report, but later told Congress that it wouldn’t give any written answers to their questions without first getting permission from the CCP. A U.S.-based law firm representing ZPMC later got in contact with the congressional committees but also said that the CCP needed to sign off on any answers before it could be provided.

ZPMC denied in April that it installed the technology on the cranes. The congressional report admitted that “the exact identity of those responsible for installing the modems, while likely ZPMC, remains unclear.”

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) welcomed the congressional report on Thursday, noting in a statement that it is in constant coordination with federal law enforcement and private sector experts.

“There have been no known security breaches involving port equipment to date,” AAPA Cary Davis said on Thursday.

China has brushed off concerns that ZPMC cranes could be exploited or used for espionage. A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. told the Daily Caller News Foundation that the allegations are “entirely paranoia” and an attempt to undermine U.S.-China economic competition.

“Playing the ‘China card’ and floating the ‘China threat’ theory is irresponsible and will harm the interests of the U.S. itself,” the spokesperson told the DCNF.

The uproar over the cranes this year has prompted the Biden administration to declare that it would invest over $20 billion to replace the Chinese cranes with domestically produced versions. It has been over 30 years since cranes have been domestically produced.

U.S. intelligence agencies have raised concerns that China-backed cyber warfare operations are targeting key American infrastructure systems, such as water or energy plants. In a global crisis – such as a Chinese invasion of Taiwan – China could disrupt these systems and obstruct the U.S. from acting.

The potential risks posed by the cranes “could be devastating for our homeland security if we do not correct course quickly,” Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rep. Mark Green told the DCNF. “This report should spur industry stakeholders, port authorities and the federal government to address this threat head-on before it worsens.”

(Featured Image Media Credit: Tyler Casey/Unsplash)