Singapore has established a cutting-edge training facility to strengthen maritime cybersecurity defences. This effort intends to provide industry personnel with the necessary capabilities to combat growing digital threats that may disrupt maritime operations.
The facility, called the Maritime Testbed of Shipboard Operational Technology (MariOT), is the world’s first cyber-physical training platform. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) collaborated on its development. The facility is designed to imitate real-world ship settings and allows students to participate in hands-on cyberattack simulations.
Mock exercises will expose participants to potential cyber dangers, such as system breaches that allow attackers to modify navigation settings. For example, a ship’s course may be altered, resulting in serious consequences such as collisions. This immersive method ensures that trainees acquire rapid response strategies.
Professor Zhou Jianying, Director of SUTD’s iTrust Centre for Research in Cyber Security, emphasised the initiative’s importance in training students for marine employment. He emphasised that knowing cyber dangers is critical in this era of increased digitalisation.
Senior Minister of State for Transport Amy Khor stressed the necessity of cybersecurity training for maritime workers to retain Singapore’s position as a leading global maritime hub robust to new threats.
