In an evolving threat landscape where “secure architecture” has become the new industry standard, managed connectivity services provide a practical path for operators to protect their fleets, says Laurie Ive, Vice President, Global Merchant Sales, Inmarsat Maritime.
In an increasingly connected maritime industry, cyber resilience has become as essential as connectivity itself. Ship owners and operators are no longer being asked whether they need cyber protection, but whether they can trust the digital infrastructure that supports critical operations at sea.
The ship’s physical isolation at sea was an inherent buffer against cyber threats. Today, that isolation has disappeared. Modern ships rely on connected applications for navigation, engineering performance, remote diagnostics, business operations and crew well-being, creating significant operational advantages while also expanding the potential attack surface.
The numbers reflect this growing challenge. In DNV’s Maritime Cyber Priority 2024/25 report, 31% of maritime professionals said their organization had experienced at least one cyber attack in the previous year, up from 17% over the past five years.
However, it is not only the frequency of attacks that is increasing. Cyber threats are becoming more complex and operationally relevant, disrupting everything from business-critical communications and shore-to-ship workflows to remote access to ship systems.
Laurie Eve, Vice President, Global Merchant Sales, Inmarsat Maritime
Recent geopolitical tensions have added another dimension. The International Maritime Organization has expressed particular concern about increased interference with the navigation system, such as attempts at deception and jamming. These attacks threaten navigational confidence and pose a direct threat to operational safety.
Recognizing that offshore assets can no longer rely on isolation for protection, regulators have in recent years moved to instil a mindset focused on risk management and governance across the industry.
As digital transformation accelerates, the industry has realized that cyber resilience must be built into a ship’s digital infrastructure from the beginning. IMO 2021 has integrated cybersecurity within ship safety management systems, laying the foundation for the Uniform Requirements (URs) E26 and E27 of the International Classifications Association (IACS) to push shipping towards a “safe design” philosophy.
IACS URs E26 and E27 provide an easy-to-follow blueprint for building cyber resilience into the design of a newly built ship and its onboard systems. The challenge is that most fleets are mixed. Operators manage ships of different ages, with varying levels of digital maturity, different on-board systems and crew with different levels of cybersecurity experience. Therefore, providing effective protection across the entire fleet requires a practical and managed approach that works consistently regardless of the type of vessel or the technical capability on board.
This is increasingly changing how operators evaluate connectivity providers. Connectivity is no longer evaluated solely on bandwidth or coverage. It is judged on whether it can provide the flexibility, security and operational confidence needed to support increasingly digital ship operations.
Independent verification has become equally important.
Recently, Inmarsat Maritime’s NexusWave became one of the first fully managed maritime communications services to receive ClassNK cybersecurity type approval, confirming that its onboard ICT architecture complies with the latest IACS UR E27 (Rev.1) cybersecurity standard. Importantly, the evaluation extended beyond individual hardware components to evaluate the entire embedded architecture, service orchestration, and managed communication platform as an integrated system.
Certification provides independent verification that cybersecurity has been built into the service from the ground up, rather than added later through standalone security products. For shipowners investing in long-term digital infrastructure, this provides confidence that their communication platform has been independently assessed against the latest international cyber standards.
This secure design philosophy is reflected throughout NexusWave.
A multi-network connectivity solution integrates protection throughout the network architecture. End-to-end enterprise-grade AES-256 encryption secures data in transit and at rest, while splitting packets across multiple network paths enhances privacy and resiliency. Deep packet inspection identifies and blocks malware and suspicious activity. Importantly, the service also provides network separation, ensuring crew, business and operational traffic remain isolated to prevent lateral spread of cyber threats.
The result is a managed security posture that reduces operational complexity while helping maintain business continuity.
As maritime digitalization continues to accelerate, cybersecurity will increasingly determine how confident operators are in adopting new technologies, connecting critical applications and complying with evolving regulations.
By combining an independently verified secure design architecture, managed connectivity, advanced threat protection and crew awareness, Inmarsat Maritime helps shipowners and operators move beyond compliance towards operational confidence. In today’s maritime environment, cybersecurity is no longer an optional extra; It is an essential foundation that allows digitalization to deliver on its full promise.
Source: Written by Laurie Ive, Vice President, Global Merchant Sales, Inmarsat Maritime
