A Cyber-Security Review of Emerging Technology in the Maritime Industry

Abstract

The maritime industry is a complex cornerstone of global transportation infrastructure. To ensure smooth, safe and timely operations, technologies have been created or adapted over time to aid the maritime sector. Agile adaptations are an important part of maintaining safe operational standards despite economic, environmental, and technological changes. As ship-based systems and port infrastructure become more technologically advanced and complex, it is important to understand how emerging technology can both improve, and hinder, maritime operations. One of the main drawbacks of evolving technology is the increase of cyber-security vulnerabilities, as these systems become more complex and inter-connected. Maritime technology has the added complexity of hosting both information technology and operational technology (IT and OT) nearly equally. This paper gives an overview of emerging or growing technologies within maritime, specifically how they work, the benefits they bring, as well as cyber-security concerns to consider when accepting them into regular practice.