UK shipping firm Clarkson reports cyber attack

(Adds details, more from company statement)

Nov 29 (Reuters) - British shipping services provider Clarkson Plc (LSE: CKN.L - news) on Wednesday said it was the victim of a cyber security hack and warned that the person or persons behind the attack may release some data shortly.

The company's disclosure, while a relatively rare event in Britain, follows a series of high-profile hacks in corporate America.

Clarkson is one of the world's main shipbrokers, sourcing vessels for the world's largest producers and traders of natural resources. It also has a research operation which collects and analyses data on merchant shipping and offshore markets.

The London-headquartered company said it had been working with the police on the incident but did not provide any details about the scale or type of data stolen.

"As soon as it was discovered, Clarksons took immediate steps to respond to and manage the incident," the company said.

"Our initial investigations have shown the unauthorised access was gained via a single and isolated user account which has now been disabled."

The company said it is in the process of contacting potentially affected clients and individuals directly, and that it has been working with data security specialists to probe further. (Reporting by Rahul B in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel and Patrick Graham)