SAFETY4SEA is pleased to announce that Wärtsilä has received the 2020 SMART4SEA Cyber Security Award, sponsored by ABS, at a prestigious award ceremony which successfully concluded on January the 28th at the Yacht Club of Greece in Athens, the evening ahead of the 2020 SMART4SEA Forum.
Wärtsilä received the award for actions to promote cyber security awareness as a founding member of the Operational Technology Cyber Security Alliance (OTCSA), which aims to bridge dangerous gaps in security for operational technology and industrial control systems. Other short-listed nominees for this category were: BIMCO, ClassNK, IACS and the Port of Amsterdam.
Presenting the award Mr. Elias Kariambas, Director, Regional Business Development, ABS, said “It is now obvious to other industries that shipping is already in the brick of finding itself in an environment of continuous change. Digitalization is transforming operations while autonomous systems are improving performance in all maritime sectors. At ABS, we innovate data, offering digital capabilities to safely and effectively bridge new technologies. We are no longer operating at an environment of machinery but in a world of data where cyber security is vital and everyone understands the increasingly importance of enhancing operational security against possible cyber-attacks.’’
Accepting the award on behalf of Wärtsilä, Mr. Mark Milford, VP Cybersecurity Wärtsilä Corporation, stated that “The cybersecurity landscape has changed considerably over the last year. We are facing unprecedented threats against the maritime information and operational technology install base and are dealing with a cybercrime threat that is estimated to make $1.5 trillion dollars. Worldwide we are facing a skills shortage of half a million cyber professionals; the stark reality is that no single company is able to face the threat of a cyber incident alone and that collaboration is the only viable option to secure the entire maritime ecosystem.”
As a founding member of the Operational Technology Cyber Security Alliance (OTCSA), which aims to bridge dangerous gaps in security for critical and operational technology (OT) infrastructure, Wärtsilä provides cyber services to assist operators in mitigating identified risks, further promoting cyber security awareness. Namely, the organization offers a systematic approach, from assessing the current security status to implementing appropriate cyber controls and lifecycle services. Wärtsilä has also opened the first International Maritime Cyber Centre of Excellence (IMCCE) in the world, located in Singapore and aims to provide a focal point for the industry to help drive cyber awareness and respond to cyber incidents. Mark Milford, Vice President Cyber Security, Wärtsilä states that “There is a strong need to collaborate within our ecosystems of suppliers, customers and other partners, even competitors, to fight the common enemy of cyber-crime. The game is changing and so must we.”
Wärtsilä attracted the most votes by the end of the voting period which held online during a two-month period. SMART4SEA Awards are held annually within the scope of awarding industry’s outstanding practices for e-navigation, connectivity, energy efficiency, cyber security, training and smart shipping technology. Other winners of the 2020 SMART4SEA Awards are: MarineFields Holding Ltd for the e-Navigation Award, OTESAT – MARITEL for the Connectivity Award, LAROS for the Energy Efficiency Award, DNVGL for the Training Award, METIS Cyberspace Technology SA. for the Technology Award, Mr. Dimitris Theodossiou, Managing Director, DANAOS Management Consultants S.A.for the Personality Award and Mr. Tor A. Svanes, Managing Director, NAVTOR AS for the Leadership Award.
Find photos from the awards ceremony at Flickr and explore more about the nomination & voting procedure and the winners of 2020 SMART4SEA Awards at https://events.safety4sea.com/2020-smart4sea-awards/.