Hamburg-based shipping company Vega Reederei has agreed a deal to implement the Fleet Secure Unified Threat Management (UTM) cyber security system from Inmarsat across its fleet of existing and newbuild vessels, as an add-on to its existing onboard Fleet Xpress VSAT networks.
The company is currently in the process of adding four 1,868 TEU eco-consumption newbuilds to the fleet and plans to add more new ships to expand its European coastal services by 2024.
“Although our vessels have not so far fallen victim to cyber-crime, we are aware that both the frequency and severity of network attacks in shipping are growing fast. As our fleet grows, this threat becomes more significant and difficult to manage,” said Henrik König, Company Security Officer at Vega.
“Through Fleet Xpress and Fleet Secure UTM, Inmarsat offers the global coverage and cyber-security capabilities required to keep our managed fleet safe from the risks of an increasingly connected maritime industry.”
Fleet Secure UTM is a part of Inmarsat’s wider cyber-security offering available with Fleet Xpress, providing security tools that scan all connected networks for malicious traffic and offer real-time digital security status updates, allowing users to monitor and mitigate network threats as they arise.
The system is backed by Inmarsat’s dedicated Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC), which offers human support in addressing security concerns. The CSOC deploys a range of technologies to monitor and detect threats across Inmarsat’s core infrastructure, networks and services, with any irregular activities investigated directly.
“With Fleet Secure UTM, Vega meets not only the International Maritime Organization’s 2021 requirements on cyber security but also the expectations of its customers, the owners of its managed vessels, who can now rest assured that their ships are comprehensively protected from cyber threats. We would like to thank our partner, Port-IT for its ongoing support with this project and development of Fleet Secure UTM,” said Scott Middleton, Regional Director North Europe Inmarsat Maritime.
