Cyberattack forces temporary shutdown of Malaysia's Tanjung Pelepas container hub

At 11.34 pm on Sept 9, a cyber intrusion was identified at Tanjung Pelepas Port, one of the world’s busiest transshipment centres, forcing the terminal to isolate compromised systems and halt operations. The port began a controlled restart on Sept 10, processing both loaded and empty containers manually at the gates while its IT team conducts a thorough clean-sweep of all affected infrastructure. Sources within the terminal said the hackers gave a deadline but did not ask for ransom, and the port has refused to negotiate.

Maersk, a key customer, indicated that vessel arrivals and departures are largely proceeding, with only minor delays. A ransomware group called Direwolf claimed responsibility on its leak site, but the allegation remains unverified. The attack underscores the vulnerability of maritime logistics to digital threats, especially as the Johor port complex handled a record 15.1 million TEUs in 2025, with more than 14 million moving through PTP alone.