The world of maritime transport is both constrained and non-standard. It combines the gigantic size of ships with the isolation, complexity and harshness of life at sea. The role of man is essential while leaving more and more room for digital technology. Thus, the players in the maritime world must mobilize to face up to the ever-increasing number of cyberspace risks, whose most catastrophic scenarios would be unacceptable, whether from a geopolitical, political, human, environmental or economic point of view.

It is with this in mind that the MICA Center opened its doors on 9 January 2020 to a team of professionals from the cyber sector. A general presentation, followed by a guided tour, allowed the delegation to understand the daily work carried out by the men and women of the centre, but also to better comprehended the issues that are naturally linked to digital security.

In 2018, the Interministerial Committee for the Sea issued a specific measure puttting into effect the determination and ambition of the French State to respond to the expectations of maritime professionals:

“France is fully aware of the challenges linked to cybersecurity in the maritime domain, both in terms of protecting information systems and in terms of the economic development of a sector, and has therefore decided to create a cybersecurity commission and the prefiguration of a national coordination centre for maritime cybersecurity”.

There is no longer any doubt as to everyone’s desire to make the seas safe and enable seafarers to navigate in complete security.