Page 23: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (July 2020)

Communications or email messaging similar to a traditional corporate network, complex, offering huge advantages for maintaining effcien- these applications depend on a reliable network that is capable cy and boosting customer satisfaction while needing a large of handling varying levels of data at the same time. amount of oversight which can be challenging.

By utilizing the power of an effective, smart remote manage-

Security First ment service like Speedcast’s state-of-the-art integrated man-

With technology playing a pivotal role in maritime operations agement and application platform, experts on shore can retain and with new innovations continually being developed, the re- complete control with endless visibility into every ship. This liance on digital applications and communication networks is ensures shipping companies can manage every detail of opera- growing. This presents a challenge for shipping companies as tions and maintain maximum effciency.

cyber attacks increase in sophistication and present a huge po- Enabling control of multiple applications and networks, tential for devastating damage to be caused by compromise to Speedcast’s SIGMA platform provides a seamless insight into a network. Therefore, security must be made a priority when it business operations and crew welfare services through a fex- comes to the integrated management service, with the ability to ible ecosystem that can be adapted to a customer’s specifc defend itself from evolving threats. current and future needs, including leveraging the numerous

To ensure security comes top of the list for maritime busi- benefts and effciencies of Virtual Machines. nesses, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has All of this aids shipping businesses to remain competitive made it a requirement that from January 2021, cybersecurity with substantial cost savings, high levels of operational eff- best practices are written into Safety Management Systems ciency and a boost in productivity by adopting a solution that (SMS). It will be crucial for the shipping sector to think ahead manages network, voice and business services along with built- about how to implement these changes ahead of the deadline. in cybersecurity that contributes to the IMO requirement.

This IMO directive is leaving operators to determine exactly As maritime industry digitalization continues to advance due to where these vulnerabilities and cybersecurity gaps lie within the increasing capabilities of emerging applications and commu- their SMS. They must then come up with ways to fx these nications technology, it is critical that operators have access to so- gaps and incorporate these new protocols which are designed lutions that can maintain the smooth running of operations along to protect maritime systems from attack. This however is chal- with seamless, high-quality connectivity. To this end, the sector lenging due to a worldwide lack of maritime cybersecurity ex- has a bright future as network management systems continue to perts, meaning it could leave companies with a large bill to serve the existing and future needs of shipping companies. seek support on how best to safeguard themselves and build in

The Author these new IMO requirements.

Remote Management

Delucia

While shipowners and managers are experts at turning the

Commercial Maritime complexities of global business into a proft, they now require

Product Director at Speedcast greater control and visibility of their networks and services to remain ultra-competitive. On-board systems can be vast and

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SPBES - Battery Power for Hybrid & Electric Ships www.spbes.com • [email protected] www.marinelink.com 23