In March 2021, the Suez Canal was blocked by the Ever Given container ship for six days, effectively blocking one of the world’s busiest trade routes. The incident resulted in a total insurance claim of over US$1 billion, which was one of the most expensive ship damages claims in recent history.

At the time, the ship’s operator and Egyptian officials blamed strong winds and a sandstorm that led to engine and rudder failures. However, was it just an expensive coincidence?

The CEO of DroneShield and drone security expert, Oleg Vornik, received intel from reliable sources who claimed that the true culprit of the blockage was a drone attack. According to said sources’ version, a drone landed on the control deck of the ship and hacked into networks. The container ship was held hostage in exchange for ransom payments. When the Ever Given crew did not comply, the ship was run into the ground.

To this day, the ship’s flag state, Panama, has not submited any investigation report to the International Maritime Organization. The suspicion of a drone attack might explain the delay as it can complicate the investigation process.

Drone attacks on shipping is not a new thing, especially considering its rapid technological advancement. The Baltic Sea may unknowingly turn into a “hot zone” for this type of threat already due to its geographical proximity to Russia, where many of these hackers originate from.

Whether this suspicion is correct or not, not equipping maritime vessels with counterdrone protection can be seen as a serious negligence. Having drone defense at the ready helps a ship to avoid falling victim to terorrism attack as well as jeopardising the wellbeing of the crew, passengers, and valuable cargo on board.

As an Australian/US publicly listed company, DroneShield Ltd has been putting a lot of effort into counterdrone protection technology, particularly in RF Sensing, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Sensor Fusion, Electronic Warfare, Rapid Prototyping and MIL-SPEC manufacturing. We have been committing ourselves for the protection of the Military, Government, Law Enforcement, Critical Infrastructure, Commercial and VIPs throughout the world

DroneShield develops counterdrone protection equipment (C-UAS AI) to help various sectors protect themselves from nefarious and negligent UAS intrusions, including the maritime industry. Both of our portable and fixed sensors are capable of distinguishing UAS from other common flying objects, therefore providing maritime facilities with a reliable drone defense solution. As part of counterdrone defense, real-time monitoring and instant alerts provide comprehensive three-dimensional awareness of nearby UAS at sea and in maritime facilities.

Take responsibility of your precious cargo before it is too late. Get in touch with DroneShield for details about our C-UAS technology and potential partnerships.