(WBTW/ BLOOMBERG) — The Colonial Pipeline, which was hacked two weeks ago, is now experiencing network issues that are keeping customers from accessing fuel shipments, according to Bloomberg.
The network that allows customers to “reserve space on the line, make changes to their batches or receive updates on fuel traveling through the system has been inaccessible as of Tuesday morning,” Bloomberg reported. The information comes from shippers who wish to remain anonymous.
The pipeline addressed the issues with shippers, saying “it is currently experiencing network issues impacting customers’ ability to enter and update nominations.”
“Our internal server that runs our nomination system experienced intermittent disruptions this morning due to some of the hardening efforts that are ongoing and part of our restoration process. These issues were not related to the ransomware or any type of reinfection. We are working diligently to bring our nomination system back online and will continue to keep our shippers updated. The Colonial Pipeline system continues to deliver refined products as nominated by our shippers.”
Colonial Pipeline Spokesperson
Shippers on the Colonial Pipeline use a third-party communication system known as Transport 4 to access Colonial’s network and ensure timely receipts and shipments of various grades of fuel, according to Bloomberg.
The issues come just six days after the pipeline resumed service on May 12 after a ransomware attack shut down the entire pipeline’s system.
After hearing about the pipeline shutdown, people across the East Coast began panic buying gasoline, causing shortages in gas stations from Alabama to Washington D.C., according to Bloomberg. Many of these stations even ran out of gas.
When asked, the White House had no immediate comment, according to Bloomberg, nor did the Energy Department, Transportation Security Administration and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.