Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC) asserted on Sunday that its cranes do not pose a cybersecurity threat, responding to concerns raised by US congressional committees regarding the Chinese state-owned company’s involvement in cranes destined for the United States.
The House of Representatives security panels, which are investigating ZPMC’s installation of Swiss engineering group ABB’s equipment onto US-bound ship-to-shore cranes, invited ABB executives to public hearings in January to address what they deemed “significant concerns ” about the relationship with ZPMC.
In a filing, ZPMC stated, “ZPMC takes the US concerns seriously and believes that these reports can easily mislead the public without sufficient factual review.” The company emphasized that the cranes it provides do not pose a cybersecurity risk to any ports.
ABB clarified that it sold its control and electrification equipment to various crane manufacturers, including Chinese firms, which then sold cranes directly to US ports.
Tensions between the US and China, characterized by accusations of cyberattacks and industrial espionage, have been ongoing. ZPMC highlighted that the cranes it supplies are utilized globally, including in the United States, and adhere to international standards and relevant laws and regulations.
ZPMC, listed on the Shanghai stock exchange, is a major player in the port machinery manufacturing sector, boasting a fleet of over 20 transportation vessels. ABB, heavily reliant on the Chinese market, generates 16% of its sales from China, second only to the US market at 24%.