Finnish technology group Wärtsilä announced the opening of an International Maritime Cyber Centre of Excellence (IMCCE) in Singapore, on 16 October. The IMCCE is the first of its type for the marine industry, founded by Wärtsilä and Templar Executives, to provide a focal point for the industry to help drive the cyber awareness and response to cyber incidents. The IMCCE consists of a Maritime Cyber Emergency Response Team (MCERT) and a cyber academy.
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,
…notes Mark Milford, Vice President, Cyber Security at Wärtsilä.
The MCERT is an international cyber intelligence and incident support platform enhancing cyber resilience for the entire maritime ecosystem. It provides international intelligence feeds, advice and support, including real-time assistance to members on cyber attacks and incidents, and a Cyber Security Reporting Portal (CSRP) for its members. The MCERT operates from the Wärtsilä Acceleration Centre facilities launched in Singapore.
It’s not a coincidence that the IMCCE is based in Singapore – it’s a country that is forward-leaning in cyber development and a very important location in the maritime ecosystem. Despite its homebase, 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.
The MCERT is based on a membership model and, for those who want to lead the cyber agenda in the industry, it offers an Advisory Board membership. The Advisory Board will comprise of key stakeholders from the Maritime ecosystem in the areas of shipping, oil & gas, ports and cruise ships.
The Cyber Academy’s courses will cover a range of relevant topics, from cyber security coaching for senior management to cyber awareness for all organisational levels within the maritime industry.
The IMCCE is a totally new business model that supports our customers in their industry transformation, whilst demonstrating a step change in clock speed for the company about how we turn an idea into a tangible Cyber as-as Service solution,
…states Marco Ryan, Chief Digital Officer at Wärtsilä.
