As the maritime industry accelerates its digital transformation, cyber risk is emerging as a critical enterprise-level concern.

The growing digitization of the shipping world at a time when global trade is increasingly dependent on interconnected vessels, ports and logistics systems underscores the heightened vulnerability of the industry to cyberattacks, with potential incidents carrying far-reaching implications ranging from supply chain disruption to regulatory intervention.

More than 70% of maritime professionals said in a recent survey that their organizations’ industrial assets are more vulnerable to cyberattacks than ever before, while an equal proportion said their leaders view cyber security as a top business risk.¹

In the context of mergers and acquisitions, this elevated risk profile calls for particular attention to cyber resilience. Cybersecurity has become a defining factor in maritime M&A, directly affecting valuation, deal execution and post-deal integration. Failure to conduct rigorous cyber due diligence can lead to inherited vulnerabilities, compliance liabilities and operational disruption.

Executives must therefore ensure that cybersecurity assessments are embedded throughout the transaction lifecycle. Key areas include evaluating the target’s cyber maturity, incident readiness and regulatory alignment, alongside structuring contractual protections such as indemnities and warranties. Post-deal close, aligning cybersecurity capabilities across entities is essential to mitigate risk and preserve deal value.

For board directors and C-suite leaders, maritime cybersecurity is now a strategic, operational and reputational concern.

To ensure meaningful impact, we outline in this article a set of prioritized actions that executives must focus on to strengthen cyber resilience and preserve value across the maritime ecosystem

Cyber Risk as a Core Maritime Business Challenge

Cyber threats in the maritime industry extend far beyond traditional IT systems, impacting vessels, ports, logistics hubs and global supply chains. Ransomware remains a dominant threat, with average incident costs rising to $550,000 and average ransom payments now exceeding $3.2 million.²

The fragmented and international nature of the sector complicates the establishment of consistent cybersecurity standards, placing increased pressure on organizations to adopt enterprise-wide risk frameworks and enforce executive-level accountability.

Despite the growing strategic importance of maritime infrastructure and heightened vulnerabilities, some structural barriers remain that must be overcome before cyber resilience can be ensured across the board:

• Underinvestment in cyber resilience

Cybersecurity has historically been overshadowed by investments in physical safety and operational continuity. As a result, digital defenses remain underfunded, especially in organisations balancing tight margins and competing capital priorities. This underinvestment leaves core systems vulnerable and limits the ability to scale protections in line with modern threat landscapes.

• Limited in-field cybersecurity awareness

Front-line personnel, particularly crew members and port operators, often lack specialized cyber training. The industry's operational focus and reliance on legacy workflows mean that cyber hygiene practices remain inconsistent, and human error continues to be a critical entry point for cyber-attacks.

• Complex incident response at sea

When a cyber event occurs at sea, response options are constrained by geography and infrastructure. Limited connectivity and delayed communications make it difficult to engage support or execute recovery plans in real time. Many operators lack robust, tested response playbooks that account for these constraints.

• OEM and vendor dependencies with uneven security maturity

Maritime operations depend on an extended network of OEMs and technology vendors, many of whom operate with varying levels of cyber maturity. Without strong contractual frameworks and integrated oversight, it is difficult to ensure consistent security controls and visibility across the ecosystem, exposing operators to inherited risk beyond their immediate control.

This demonstrates the need to address maritime cybersecurity as a capability gap that requires fund allocation and mandated improvement KPIs, rather than as a technology problem. Organizations must position cyber risk as a core enterprise risk, integrated across operations rather than isolated within IT and with board oversight directly aligned with the organization’s operational risk registers and resilience objectives.

Below are key areas of consideration in maritime cybersecurity and prioritized actions that executives must take:

1.Regulatory Pressures

The regulatory environment is evolving quickly but unevenly, posing challenges for organizations. For European companies, the following are key regulatory initiatives to stay abreast of:

• The European Union NIS2 directive, which extends security and reporting requirements to most maritime companies but excludes individual vessels, leaving a significant compliance gap.
• EU Regulation 725/2004, which mandates cyber risk integration within port security assessments.³
• The International Maritime Organization’s guidelines, which provide high-level recommendations for embedding cyber risk into safety management systems.⁴

Executive Priority: Ensure your regulatory compliance posture spans ship, shore, and third-party operations. Anticipate regulatory convergence.

2. Cyber risk frameworks

It is essential to turn cyber risk frameworks into concrete action. Adopting the “Governance, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover” model is now considered baseline good practice. High-performing organizations go further by:

• Conducting joint IT/OT cyber risk assessments
• Embedding cybersecurity requirements into procurement and supply chain contracts
• Participating in cross-industry information sharing networks

Executive Priority: Integrate cyber into enterprise risk management and vendor governance processes.

3. Talent and Training

Regulators and agencies, including the European Commission and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), are signaling a strong push for cybersecurity awareness and competence.⁵ Leading maritime operators are deploying simulation-based training and tailored e-learning modules across functions.

Executive Priority: Invest in cyber capability as a workforce asset, especially for operational crews and shore-based teams.

4. Intelligence through technology

The Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE) is becoming central to proactive maritime cybersecurity.⁶ By facilitating real-time threat exchange and post-event analysis, CISE is helping organizations move from reactive to predictive defence. Incidents involving port authorities reinforce the value of coordinated response networks.

Executive Priority: Leverage platforms like CISE to integrate intelligence into operational decision-making.

Leveraging Compliance as a Competitive Advantage

Cybersecurity in the maritime domain is about more than meeting regulatory mandates. It is about sustaining trust, safeguarding operations and unlocking resilience in a digitally dependent ecosystem. For boards and executive teams, this means placing cybersecurity at the center of strategic discussions, not at the margins of IT governance.

It is imperative that executives prioritize cybersecurity at the board level, strengthen internal capabilities and act decisively to navigate today’s high-risk digital landscape with confidence.

Unlocking Cyber Resilience with A&M

As we have discussed in this article, cyber risk is now a board-level issue. A&M helps organizations navigate this complexity by aligning cybersecurity strategies with core business goals, focusing on resilience, regulatory readiness and measurable risk reduction.

We support leadership teams in defining pragmatic roadmaps that elevate cyber maturity year over year, ensuring investments translate into tangible outcomes.

In moments of change, such as mergers, acquisitions or carve-outs, we provide interim cyber leadership, accelerate knowledge transfer, and guide compliance with new regulatory frameworks.

Our senior practitioners also test crisis response readiness and refine operating models to meet rising stakeholder and regulatory expectations.

The result? Clarity, confidence and a stronger foundation for trust in a rapidly shifting threat landscape.
 

1. BIMCO, CLIA, ICS, INTERCARGO, INTERTANKO. (2021). The Guidelines on Cyber Security Onboard Ships (Version 4.0). Retrieved from https://www.bimco.org
    
2. Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty. (2023). Safety and Shipping Review 2023. Retrieved from https://www.agcs.allianz.com
    
3. European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA). (2020). Cybersecurity for the Maritime Sector. Retrieved from https://www.enisa.europa.eu
    
4. World Economic Forum. (2024). Global Risks Report 2024. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org
    
5. International Maritime Organization (IMO). (2017). Guidelines on Maritime Cyber Risk Management, MSC-FAL.1/Circ.3. Retrieved from https://www.imo.org
    
6. DNV. (2022). Cyber security resilience in the maritime industry. Retrieved from https://www.dnv.com
    
7. CyberOwl & Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW). (2023). Maritime Cybersecurity Survey Report. Retrieved from https://www.cyberowl.io
    
8. International Chamber of Shipping (ICS). (2021). Cyber Security Workbook for Onboard Ship Use (2nd ed.). Retrieved from https://www.ics-shipping.org
    
9. International Association of Classification Societies (IACS). (2022). Unified Requirements E26 and E27 on Cyber Resilience. Retrieved from https://www.iacs.org.uk
    
10. Maersk. (2017). Case Study: The NotPetya Attack. Referenced in various cybersecurity retrospectives and incident response whitepapers.
     
11. American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). (2021). Maritime Cybersecurity: Vendor and Supply Chain Risk. Retrieved from https://ww2.eagle.org
     
12. NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE). (2021). Maritime Cyber Security: The Changing Tide. Retrieved from https://ccdcoe.org