Page 50: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (September 2023)

Shipping & Ports Annual 2023 MARITIME RISK SYMPOSIUM '23

Maritime Risk Symposium

Managing Impacts of Supply Chain Disruptors, Renewable Energy,

Emerging Technology on the Maritime Transportation System (MTS)

By Dr. Joe DiRenzo and Capt. Eric Johansson he 2023 Maritime Risk Sympo- sium (MRS) will be held Nov. 14- 16, 2023, as an in-person event,

Thosted by Maritime College, State

University of New York (SUNY) at the

Maritime Academic Center. The theme of the 14th annual event is “Managing Im- pacts of Supply Chain Disruptors, Renew- able Energy, Emerging Technology on the

Maritime Transportation System (MTS)” with a focus on offshore infrastructure risk and disruptors.

Founded in 1874, Maritime College is the oldest maritime college in the United

States, providing mariner training for 150 years. This will be the second time for ties within a global system that moves trillions of dollars of

New York Maritime College to host the event, in collaboration goods annually. Complicating this issue are growing threats with the U.S. Coast Guard, National Academy of Sciences, to: the system’s cyber components, the dawn of autonomous academic institutions, industry partners and federal, state and shipping, electronic navigation, advances in fuel systems and local agencies. SUNY Maritime last hosted in 2019. the continued automation of the nation’s ports. MRS 2023

This international event has previously focused on various takes a more strategic and holistic view.

elements of risk including choke points, maritime cyber secu- Superstorm Sandy paralyzed New York and it was the Ma- rity, and resilience. MRS 2023 will bring together academics, rine Transportation System that answered the call, delivering government, and commercial entities to discuss the emerging needed supplies when shoreside transportation was shut down offshore energy industry and its threats, challenges and risks by the devastating storm and playing a major role in storm to the Maritime Transportation System. With a focus on the ar- debris removal and infrastructure redevelopment. The MTS ticulation of current and future marine transportation challenges supports our nation’s needs in peace and in times of peril and and threats, the symposium will help frame issues that impact relies on safe and sound policies regarding navigation safety; the implementation and operationalization of a sound marine technology; support services; subsea and surface quality stan- transportation strategy. The symposium will assess threats and dards and assurances; offshore energy; cyber risk; port state recent advancements in research to inspire ideas for innovative control and infrastructure risk; and much more. research that will help de? ne offshore energy infrastructure safe The issue of threats and risk to offshore energy systems has working parameters to the maritime transportation system. been well documented and a concern to navigational safety, the energy grid, cyber and national security. On Oct. 26, 2022,

Why is this Important? the Government Accountability Of? ce released their report

The idea of assessing and quantifying massive offshore en- entitled “Offshore Oil and Gas: Strategy Urgently Needed to ergy infrastructure and the various associated threat vectors is Address Cybersecurity Risks to Infrastructure.” This high- an issue that has come front and center since the horri? c attack lighted one signi? cant threat vector – cybersecurity. of 9/11. State and non-state actors understand the vulnerabili- In the report the GAO noted, “Offshore oil and gas infra- 50 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • September 2023

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