Staying Secure Ahead of Peak Season Shipping

October 29, 2025

Staying Secure Ahead of Peak Season Shipping

As the holiday season approaches, we understand how critical this time is for your business. With increased shipment volumes, tighter delivery windows, and rising customer expectations, ensuring a smooth, secure supply chain is more important than ever.

At Crane Worldwide Logistics, we're here to help you prepare for the upcoming seasonal surge — not just in terms of logistics capacity, but also by ensuring your cargo and data are protected in a world of increasing cyber threats.

Cybersecurity: A Growing Concern in Global Logistics

Recent reports in the shipping industry have highlighted a concerning trend: a sharp rise in cyber-attacks targeting global logistics and maritime operations. From ports to individual vessels, attackers — including organized crime groups and even state-backed actors — are exploiting the growing digital connectivity of the supply chain.

• Man-in-the-middle attacks, where hackers intercept and manipulate email communications, have led to serious financial losses across the industry.
• Ransomware attacks on shipping systems can cause complete operational shutdowns, with ransom demands averaging over $3 million.
• GPS spoofing incidents have caused vessels to veer off course — even run aground — due to falsified navigation data.
• Sensor hijacking and unauthorized access via emission tracking devices are emerging risks as ships become more connected.

These threats are particularly disruptive during peak shipping periods like the lead-up to Christmas, when any delay or data breach can cascade through your supply chain.

What You Can Do to Prepare

At Crane Worldwide Logistics, we’re taking every measure to secure our systems and partner networks — but security is a shared responsibility. Here's how you can help ensure a safe and successful peak season:

1. Verify Communications: Double-check all shipment requests, banking details, and routing changes — especially those sent by email. If in doubt, confirm by phone or through a trusted contact.
2. Plan Early: Demand peaks sharply in Q4. Booking early helps us secure capacity and avoid last-minute rushes that increase exposure to both delays and security risks.
3. Secure Your Data: Work with your internal IT teams to ensure that your systems — especially those interacting with logistics providers — follow modern cybersecurity best practices.
4. Update Authorizations: Make sure the list of people authorized to handle shipments, invoices, and communications is up to date. This helps prevent unauthorized access or fraudulent requests.
5. Stay Informed: Cyber threats evolve rapidly. We recommend staying connected with industry updates and trusting only secure platforms for shipment tracking and communications.

What We're Doing at Crane

We are committed to ensuring the security and resilience of your supply chain during this critical period:

• Secure communication protocols across all client interactions
• Proactive monitoring of logistics systems and threat detection
• Regular employee training on cybersecurity and fraud prevention
• Compliance with the latest IMO cyber risk management regulations for maritime logistics

Together, We Deliver — Safely and Securely

As your trusted logistics partner, Crane Worldwide is here to support your business during the busiest time of the year. Let's work together to ensure your shipments move efficiently, on time, and securely — with peace of mind from origin to destination.

Backed by industry-recognized standards like ISO 27001:2022 and UK Cyber Essentials certifications, we’re committed to safeguarding your data and supply chain operations every step of the way. If you have questions about holiday planning or security best practices, your Crane representative is ready to help.