A Finnish technology corporation specialising in solutions for marine and energy markets has opened the world’s first International Cyber Centre of Excellence (IMCCE) in Singapore. The initiative is in partnership with its strategic partner in cyber security.
IMCCE is a first for the marine industry. Consisting of a Maritime Cyber Emergency Response Team (MCERT) and a cyber academy, the IMCCE assists industry players in becoming aware of cyber threats and responding to cyber incidents.
Sail, Not Sink
The Chief Digital Officer of the corporation said, “Cyber is such a critical topic to all players in marine.” As the marine industry undergoes a digital transformation, it will be no stranger to cyber threats.
Vice President of Cyber Security at the Finnish corporation added, “There are three main drivers for the maritime industry to collaborate in improving our cyber resiliency: the vast attack surface that the maritime industry offers to cyber criminals; the inclusion of maritime into the critical national infrastructure of nation states and the pending cyber security regulation by the International Maritime Organisation in 2021.”
It comes as no surprise that Singapore was chosen to have IMCCE based in. Calling it “forward-learning in cyber development”, the Vice President noted that the Republic is very important in the maritime ecosystem. Indeed, the marine sector has been the key driver of Singapore’s economic growth for most of its history. Just last year, it contributed to 7% to the economy.
IMCCE fits nicely into Singapore’s Industry Transformation Map – to make Singapore a global maritime hub for connectivity, innovation and talent.
What is the Maritime Cyber Emergency Response Team?
According to the press release, the MCERT is an international cyber intelligence and incident support platform for the entire maritime ecosystem. Drawing on international intelligence feeds, the MCERT is the only platform for the marine industry to collaborate on critical security threats in the sector. The platform provides advice, support and real-time assistance to members. Members may report incidents on the Cyber Security Reporting Portal (CSRP).
The Vice President of Cyber Security at the Finnish corporation said, “Despite its home base [in Singapore], the MCERT is available for the entire maritime sector around the world, from single vessels to large shipping and tankers to ports, port authorities and suppliers.”
Interested parties can take on a membership to tap on MCERT’s services. For those interested in leading the cyber agenda in the industry are encouraged to become members, an Advisory Board membership is also available.
Acceleration Centre for the Maritime Industry MCERT operates from the corporation’s newly launched Wärtsilä Acceleration Centre facilities. The Centre promotes innovation and collaboration with industry, academia, and local partners to strengthen and develop Singapore’s maritime ecosystem.
Dr Lam Pin Min, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Health, said the Centre adds to the vibrancy of Singapore’s maritime innovation ecosystem.
The Finnish company and PSA Marine are working together to develop and test the autonomous harbour tug, the first co-created project at the Centre. This is an initiative under the MPA Living Lab. The innovation hopes to enable vessels to perform a range of routine missions which improve tug safety and efficiencies. Operator workload will be reduced as with the related pressures. Vessel operation is known to be one of the world’s most demanding harbour environments.
Combining a set of technologies, innovations and capabilities of the company, the project is tailored to Singapore’s unique needs. Not only will it deliver on customer value, it also meets regional sustainability goals.
Technologies used include new-to-market near-field wideband radar and real-time video analytics, integrated with a light-weight human-centric mission control system. This will help to supervise the close quarters and alert users on collision avoidance using adaptive, dynamic route planning capabilities.
Chief Digital Officer and Executive Vice President of the Finnish corporation said, “We want to help the industry improve by leveraging the use of automation technologies on ships to boost safety and efficiency, while at the same time augmenting the human’s role within the loop. This solution will empower Tug Masters by actively assisting the crew in different situations, allowing them to focus on critical tug operations whilst dynamically maintaining safe distances during navigation and preventing potential collisions. It will also give them additional decision-making support and the ability to work with their colleagues ashore via real time data connection,”
Cyber Academy Courses
Wrapping it up, the Cyber Academy courses will cover a range of topics such as cybersecurity coaching for senior management and general cyber awareness for all. Every individual in the organisation is considered an important stakeholder in upholding the security of the ecosystem
