Digital transformation of the maritime industry: A cybersecurity systemic approach

Abstract

Information system solutions are increasingly being applied to the maritime industry, and eventually, all aspects of maritime operations will be aided by the digital transformation of the industry. The maritime industry is a sector driven by compliance and historically deals with security and safety matters at an international level. It has been recognized that safety and security in maritime heavily depend on cyber systems and cybersecurity implementation requirements have started to get integrated into maritime's regulatory context. This paper focuses on cybersecurity in the maritime industry, presenting an inside view of maritime cybersecurity aspects and offering a detailed case study analysis based on a real-world company's approach. The main objective of the paper is, therefore, to connect research with practice, presenting a maritime company's cybersecurity systemic approach with references to procedures and policies. The findings of the case study and the cyber security vessel audit survey that is performed show that the company was able to assess its current status, collect evidence and objectively determine security gaps, and achieve cyber risks mitigation. The gained knowledge will be used in the future to continuously improve the company's systems and move to a more predictive and proactive maturity level.