THUNDER BAY — Worries about potential security risks associated with foreign-manufactured cargo cranes do not extend to the equipment used in the Port of Thunder Bay.
There are concerns in the U.S. that dockside cranes built in China pose a risk to national security because hidden modems were reportedly discovered in equipment used in numerous American ports.
The commander of the U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Command has said 80 per cent of ship-to-shore cranes used in the country's ports are Chinese-made and are vulnerable to exploitation and for use in surveillance.
A joint committee of the U.S. House of Representatives recently reported that certain components including cellular modems found in some of these cranes "do not contribute to the operation" of the equipment.
Several Canadian ports including Vancouver use cranes from the same manufacturer, but the Port of Thunder Bay's $3-million mobile harbour crane was made by Liebherr in Europe.
"Fortunately we're not dealing with this [specific] issue at our port," said port CEO Chris Heikkinen in response to an inquiry from TBnewswatch.
According to a report Monday in the Globe and Mail, B.C. Premier David Eby said he's been told Vancouver port officials are aware of the matter and are working with the federal government to address it.
The federal NDP critic for public safety, New Westminster-Burnaby MP Peter Julian, called the potential misuse of Chinese-made cranes "incredibly concerning," and said his party wants an investigation into any potential security concerns.
A recent Reuters report quoted the Shanghai-based manufacturer of the cranes as denying its cranes pose any cybersecurity threat.
Heikkinen said it's critical for Canada and for its ports to take precautions against potential cyber threats of all kinds.
"It's something that we're always trying to be more aware of, and trying to get on top of as fast as we can," he said.
"Transport Canada has an overarching responsibility for port security, and we take certain responsibilities on as a port authority. We absolutely work in tandem."
Heikkinen said the average person may not be aware that between 80 per cent and 90 per cent of all goods in Canada have travelled by ship.
"That really speaks to the role these ports play in getting everything both into and out of the country. So it's a big responsibility to make sure ports are secure from these kinds of attacks."
