Navigating Cyber Seas: Coast Guard Tackles Maritime Cybersecurity Threats

Navigating Cyber Seas: Coast Guard Tackles Maritime Cybersecurity Threats

Summary:

• Shipping and port operations face growing cyber risks that can affect both safety and business.
• The U.S. Coast Guard has stepped up its work against cyber threats to maritime infrastructure.
• A new Coast Guard rule sets minimum cybersecurity requirements for U.S.-flagged vessels and port facilities.
• The Coast Guard is working with shipping companies and port operators on the problem.
• Industry groups want more awareness and better preparation across the sector.

Introduction

Ships and ports now run on networks, and that makes them targets. A cyberattack can stall cargo handling or take down navigation systems. In the worst cases it can put crews at risk. This article looks at how the U.S. Coast Guard and the shipping industry are responding.

Rising Tide of Cyber Threats

Vessels and ports depend on connected systems for navigation, communications and cargo handling. That connectivity brings weak points attackers are eager to use. Ransomware has already disrupted shipping companies and ports, including the 2017 NotPetya attack that shut down Maersk’s systems worldwide.

The Coast Guard has warned for years that the industry’s reliance on information and operational technology has grown faster than its defenses. Older shipboard systems were never designed with security in mind.

The Coast Guard’s Response

The Coast Guard is the main U.S. regulator for maritime security, and it has made cybersecurity a priority. In January 2025 it published a final rule that sets minimum cybersecurity requirements for U.S.-flagged vessels, offshore facilities and port facilities covered by the Maritime Transportation Security Act.

The rule requires covered owners and operators to name a cybersecurity officer, write a cybersecurity plan, train staff and report cyber incidents to the Coast Guard. It took effect in July 2025, with some requirements phased in over the following years.

Regulations and Guidance

The new rule builds on earlier guidance. Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) 01-20, issued in 2020, told port facilities to address cyber risks in their security plans. The final rule turns much of that guidance into firm requirements.

The Coast Guard’s message is that cybersecurity is now part of safety. A ship that cannot steer because its systems are locked by ransomware is a safety problem, not just an IT problem.

Collaboration: The Key to Success

No regulator can do this alone. The Coast Guard runs exercises with industry and shares threat information through Area Maritime Security Committees and the Maritime Transportation System ISAC.

Shipping companies and port authorities are encouraged to join these groups. Working together, they can spot weak points faster and copy fixes that work elsewhere.

Industry’s Role

Classification societies such as the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and industry groups have pushed members to treat cyber risk as a board-level issue. The ABS Council and similar bodies have called for more training and better incident planning. Many operators are now preparing for the new rule’s deadlines.

What Comes Next

Cyber threats to shipping will keep growing. The Coast Guard is leading with new rules and closer work with industry, and operators are starting to catch up. It will take time. Older ships and small ports have limited budgets and staff, and the rule’s phased deadlines reflect that. Securing maritime operations is underway. It is far from finished.

Frank Jones, CISSP

Frank Jones has loved computers from the age of 13. Frank got his hacking career started when he downloaded a war dialing program that he used to detect dial up modems in his hometown of Chicago. Frank Jones now works as a JAVA coder and cyber security researcher.