Abstract
Maritime ports are intensive energy areas with a plenty of electrical systems that require an average power of many tens of megawatts (MW). Competitiveness, profits, reduction of pollution, reliability of operations, carbon emission trading are important energy related considerations for any port authority. Current technology allows the deployment of a local micro-grid of the size of tenths of MW, capable of islanded operation in case of emergency and to grant an increasing energy independency. Ownership of the grid permits a large flexibility on prices of energy sold inside the port, trading on local electric market and reduction of pollution. Renewable energy generation has a large impact on costs since features a low marginal cost. Unfortunately the smart grid is a critical asset within the port infrastructure and its intelligence is a high-level target for cyber-attacks. Such attacks are often based on malicious software (malware), which makes use of a controlling entity on the network to coordinate and propagate. In this document, we will outline some features of a port smart grid and typical characteristics of cyber-attacks including potential ways to recognize it and suggestion for effective countermeasures.
Highlights
The purpose of this paper is twofold; on one side it highlights advantages of upgrading or deploying a smart micro smart grid in a port and on the other side the importance of a proper extension of cybersecurity concepts to the operation of the port smart micro grid
Ships, and port infrastructure target of an attack may be the vehicle to propagate these attacks to other organizations
Upgrading to a smart microgrid instead of using a dumb micro-grid offers advantages in terms flexibility of utilization, dependability, possible revenues coming from services paid from its internal users, savings deriving from better contracts that can be stipulated with the utility, returns from trading of services
Summary
The purpose of this paper is twofold; on one side it highlights advantages of upgrading or deploying a smart micro smart grid in a port and on the other side the importance of a proper extension of cybersecurity concepts to the operation of the port smart micro grid. Being smart micro-grids heavily dependent on a distributed intelligence, they are exposes to a number of possible targeted attacks. Ships, and port infrastructure target of an attack may be the vehicle to propagate these attacks to other organizations. Upgrading to a smart microgrid instead of using a dumb micro-grid offers advantages in terms flexibility of utilization, dependability, possible revenues coming from services paid from its internal users, savings deriving from better contracts that can be stipulated with the utility, returns from trading of services
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