Chairmen Gimenez, Green, Gallagher, Pfluger Issue Joint Statement on Biden Administration Actions to Combat Communist China Influence on our Maritime Ports

MIAMI, FL – Today,  Today, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (TN-07), Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security Chairman Carlos Gimenez (FL-28), Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence Chairman August Pfluger (TX-11), and Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party Chairman Mike Gallagher (WI-08), released the following joint statement on the Biden Administration’s series of action to bolster port cybersecurity and investments in the domestic manufacturing of port cranes. 

“In light of our Committees’ warnings about the grave threats posed to our maritime security, this is the right move by the administration. It is deeply troubling that the vast majority of ship-to-shore cranes at U.S. ports are manufactured by the Chinese state-owned company, ZPMC, and the operational technology, sourced from various global suppliers, is often installed in China. Many of the cranes’ operational components are manufactured by the Swiss firm ABB, which partners closely with both ZPMC and the U.S. government.

“The United States must not give the CCP another way to infiltrate our critical infrastructure, conduct surveillance and espionage, steal intellectual property, and potentially throttle our port activity altogether. The threat is real—we now know Chinese-affiliated hackers, Volt Typhoon, maintained access to our critical infrastructure, including the maritime sector, for five years before discovery.

“This announcement does not end the threat, but it is a meaningful step to counter it. The follow-through will be essential. We will continue conducting a rigorous investigation into the threats posed by the CCP’s access to our ports. Our Committees will continue urging the Biden administration to strengthen the resilience of our critical infrastructure and to resolve vulnerabilities in our supply chains.”

The Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security maintains oversight over the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA).