SmartSea highlights the real threat of cyber-crime in maritime

A lack of focus on cybersecurity could have a devastating impact on business for ship owners and managers, according to maritime technology company, SmartSea. In 2025, it is predicted that cyber-crime will cost the global economy around $10.5 trillion*

With ransomware being the number one threat in the maritime industry**, SmartSea, formed by the world’s leading provider of transport communication in the aviation industry, SITA, advocates for early adoption of cyber security software as the industry moves forward with digitalisation.

For an industry that traditionally has had a culture of adapting to change slowly, recent advances in technology have been embraced, helping ships to become more efficient, sustainable, and safer. With more of a reliance on emerging technology to sustain this trend however, unfortunately cyber threats will also increase.

Julian Panter, CEO of Smartsea, (pictured) comments:“With the emergence of AI and automation technology comes increased opportunities but also an increased threat. For example, a successful attack on an AI model that ran an autonomous ship can cause attackers to take it over completely, divert it or disrupt its course. Ransomeware attacks can also be mounted against communication systems on a ship to break the connection between it and the command centre, effectively rendering it blind. As technology evolves to reflect the future demands of the industry, it is imperative for ship owners and managers to invest in cyber security. With ever more stringent compliance measures being mandated, cyber security measures and governance will slowly become mandatory. It is therefore incumbent on companies to be prepared for the threat of a cyber-attack before it’s too late.”