Shipping’s digital revolution is bringing about a wave of change in the way we do business. With a range of benefits, from voyage optimization reducing costs and emissions, to electronic logbooks streamlining the reporting process, we’re just beginning to unlock the potential of digitalization. Key to this is access to quality data: be it ship design, operations or the whole seaborne logistics ecosystem itself, data is becoming more accessible, dynamic and granular.

Interestingly, data has found a new home in the cloud; from data storage to sharing, the cloud is an integral part of many organizations’ digital infrastructure. However, this is not without its challenges and risks.

While data empowers companies, it can also be vulnerable in today’s interconnected ecosystem, increasing the need to build cyber resilience as an industry. There are concrete steps we can take to minimize the effects of data leaks, hacks, cyberattacks and incidents, all of which are on the rise, and protect people, cargo, vessels and other valuable assets. This begins by raising the importance of data security and cyber resilience on business agendas so that we can all enjoy the advantages of digitalization while minimizing risk. With a proactive approach to robust security practices and cyber resilience, we can continue to reap the rewards of a more connected digital ecosystem, enabling more innovation, sustainability and profitability.

The success of these efforts can be multiplied manifold by adopting a proactive approach to cybersecurity, covering all activities, products and services, across all locations, to ensure there are no blind spots, vulnerabilities or disruptions to operations. In practice, this could mean more frequent risk assessments when setting up new systems, as well as ensuring all team members and external stakeholders are aware of their shared responsibility towards a common goal.

At NAPA, we recognize this, and we are committed to implementing the industry’s best practices on cyber security. We recently received the ISO 27001:2013 certification, an international standard that sets requirements for the implementation of a comprehensive information security management system. This certification, delivered by classification society Bureau Veritas, validates that robust data security systems are incorporated throughout our processes and product development to protect the confidentiality of information entrusted by our customers against security risks.

NAPA’s ISO-certified data management and security practices give our partners the confidence to embrace the digital transition, knowing that the right safeguards are in place, empowering them to continue innovating, collaborating, and protecting the assets that matter the most.

Seeing the tangible benefits and competitive advantage of digitalization, and acknowledging the need to protect this progress, we believe the industry must expect the highest standards from its partners as well.

With the advent of exciting new technologies and digital solutions, one thing is clear: there is no turning back for the industry. Thus, having a collaborative approach will be critical so that we can holistically and systematically identify and address vulnerabilities to create a digitally secure ecosystem, raise awareness in the industry about the risks, deliver better training, establish better management processes and infrastructure, and by doing so, increase cyber resilience.

Marex Media