Port Crane Security and Inspection Act of 2025
HB1165, the Port Crane Security and Inspection Act of 2025, would direct the Department of Homeland Security, acting through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, to inspect certain newly constructed foreign cranes before they are placed into service at U.S. ports deemed high risk to port security or maritime transportation security. The bill focuses on cranes that connect to the internet and are associated with entities operating under the ownership, control, or influence of a covered foreign country.
The bill also requires DHS to assess, within 180 days of enactment, the security risks posed by existing and newly constructed foreign cranes in U.S. ports and to take any crane posing a risk offline until it is certified as no longer a threat. Within one year, DHS must brief the House and Senate homeland security committees on the risks identified. In addition, the bill would prohibit operation of foreign cranes under contracts entered into on or after enactment at U.S. ports, and would require any currently operating foreign crane to stop using foreign software five years after enactment.
HB1165 would add new federal security screening and operational restrictions for port cranes with foreign-linked hardware, software, or technology, particularly those tied to foreign adversaries as defined by the intelligence community or DHS. It would expand DHS/CISA oversight over port equipment cybersecurity and could require ports, terminal operators, and crane owners to replace, modify, or remove affected equipment to remain compliant. The bill would also create a reporting and briefing obligation to Congress and could affect procurement, maintenance, and software lifecycle decisions for port infrastructure.
The bill appears to have bipartisan and cross-party support in its introduction, with sponsors from both parties and from members focused on homeland security, maritime commerce, and supply-chain resilience. The absence of recorded votes or committee debate in the provided materials suggests there is not yet a documented floor-level partisan split in the available record. Overall, the framing of the bill is security-oriented and likely to be viewed favorably by members concerned about critical infrastructure and cyber threats.
The main point of contention is likely to be the breadth and cost of restricting foreign-made cranes and software, especially for ports that already rely on existing equipment and global supply chains. Ports, terminal operators, and crane manufacturers may object to the operational disruption, compliance costs, and potential delays caused by mandatory inspections, offline orders, and the five-year software prohibition. Another likely issue is definitional scope, including what counts as a covered foreign country, what constitutes a foreign crane, and how DHS will determine when a crane poses a sufficient security risk to be taken out of service.