Captain Mamdouh bin Jaber Al-Sakit, an experienced captain and graduate of the Warsash Maritime Academy in the UK with more than 25 years of experience in leading large ships, in a social media post announced an unprecedented cyber attack on the Aramco fleet, targeting a giant oil tanker of the company in the Strait of Gibraltar.

He warned of the beginning of a new chapter of conflicts in seas.

According to the Saudi captain, in this attack, which occurred on the Liberian-flagged oil tanker VL PROSPERITY on the night of August 7, 2026, the attackers disrupted the engine control systems and fuel tanks and caused the vessel to lose communication for 30 hours.

“This is a new type of attack,” Al-Sakit emphasized. “The target was not the ship’s physical hull, but its nervous system. The goal was not to sink the ship, but to send a clear message: no ship, even in remote waters, is safe from cyberattacks.”

He concluded by asking a strategic question: “Will the next major naval conflict be fought with codes and software instead of cannons?”

Maritime experts have warned of rising insurance and security costs on vital routes if such attacks are repeated.