We’re Tracking the Future of Security

Category: Ports

  • US Coast Guard Opens AI and Machine Learning Center

    US Coast Guard Opens AI and Machine Learning Center

    The U.S. Coast Guard is establishing a Center for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. The center is intended to combine operational needs, academic research and workforce development rather than treating AI as a standalone software procurement.

    Mission-focused prototypes

    Industrial Cyber reports that the center will work with the Technology Readiness Directorate and the Office of Data and AI. Early work includes buoy-positioning analysis, cutter patrol scheduling and maritime border-security applications. The stated goal is to develop practical prototypes on shorter cycles while teaching military and civilian personnel to use approved tools responsibly.

    Partnerships with research institutions are expected to support testing and technical review. For a maritime service, however, deployment conditions can be more demanding than a laboratory benchmark. Systems may face intermittent communications, limited computing resources, sensitive operational data and the need for accountable human decisions.

    Security considerations

    Useful governance should define which data an AI system can access, what recommendations it may make and which actions always require an authorized operator. Models also need monitoring for drift and failure under unusual conditions. The center’s value will depend on whether prototypes can be integrated with existing port and maritime security workflows without weakening command responsibility.

    Sources

  • CISA Cyber Storm X Tests National Response to Critical Infrastructure Attacks

    CISA Cyber Storm X Tests National Response to Critical Infrastructure Attacks

    The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency completed Cyber Storm X, a four-day national exercise that brought together 2,000 participants from more than 200 public- and private-sector organizations. CISA said the tenth exercise in the 20-year Cyber Storm program tested how government and industry would coordinate during a large cyber incident affecting essential services.

    The 2026 scenario centered on a nation-state adversary targeting transportation systems, including rail and ports, alongside the water and wastewater sector. Participants used the exercise to test incident-response plans, information-sharing arrangements and cross-sector coordination without exposing operational systems to a live attack.

    CISA said it will work with the participating organizations to identify lessons and produce a public after-action report. The exercise is intended to expose gaps in plans and decision-making before a real event forces agencies, infrastructure operators and suppliers to coordinate under pressure.

    Why it matters

    Cyber resilience depends on more than defensive products. Large exercises test whether technical teams, executives, regulators and emergency partners can share reliable information and make coordinated decisions while transportation and water services are under stress.

    Sources

  • PD Ports Deploys Abloy Electronic Access Control Across UK Sites

    PD Ports Deploys Abloy Electronic Access Control Across UK Sites

    PD Ports, which operates major UK port gateways handling millions of tonnes of cargo annually, has deployed Abloy UK’s PROTEC2 CLIQ electronic access control system across multiple sites, combining mechanical lock protection with digital access management. The port group previously relied on Abloy mechanical products to secure perimeter gates and operational facilities, but growing operations and increasingly complex access requirements prompted it to add electronic control without ripping out the existing hardware.

    The deployment covers 112 PROTEC2 CLIQ keys alongside 32 mechanical padlocks. Each CLIQ key can be programmed and updated remotely, letting PD Ports control permissions across different locations from a central point, and every use is logged through CLIQ Web Manager, creating an audit trail and allowing access rights to be revoked instantly if a key is lost. Because CLIQ keys also operate Abloy’s existing mechanical locks, PD Ports introduced electronic access control incrementally rather than replacing its entire lock inventory at once. The system protects warehouses holding high-value goods as well as perimeter gates and remote access points.

    Why it matters

    Ports typically have large numbers of gates, warehouses and remote access points spread across a site that is expensive to fully re-key — a system that layers electronic control onto existing mechanical locks, rather than requiring wholesale replacement, is often the more realistic upgrade path for large industrial sites with sunk investment in mechanical hardware.

    Sources

  • Hensec Launches Portags, a Combined Drone and GNSS Monitoring Platform for Ports

    Hensec Launches Portags, a Combined Drone and GNSS Monitoring Platform for Ports

    German security company hensec secure solutions launched Portags, short for Port Airspace and GNSS Security, an integrated monitoring platform designed to protect ports against airborne threats and disruption to satellite navigation. Rather than treating drone detection and GNSS interference as separate problems handled by separate systems, Portags fuses data from radio-frequency sensors, passive radar and GNSS signal analysis into a single operational view.

    The system watches the airspace above a port for potential drone activity while simultaneously assessing whether GNSS signals in the area are reliable or under jamming or spoofing attack, giving security teams one interface to detect, assess and document both types of threat. The modular platform can be deployed in stationary or mobile configurations across container terminals, tank farms, port entrances and automated facilities, with open interfaces for integration into existing operations centers. hensec developed Portags following a 2025 measurement campaign that identified combined jamming and spoofing activity in the southern Baltic Sea, as regional nations tighten security cooperation against hybrid threats.

    Why it matters

    Drone incursions and GNSS interference at ports have typically been monitored by separate systems, if at all — correlating the two in one platform matters because attackers increasingly combine tactics, and a port that can only see one threat type at a time may miss an incident where GNSS spoofing and an unauthorized drone are part of the same operation.

    Sources

  • Port and Maritime Security Systems: Technologies and Architecture

    Port and Maritime Security Systems: Technologies and Architecture

    Ports are complex security environments where ships, cargo, trucks, workers, visitors and critical infrastructure interact continuously. Effective protection therefore requires coordinated monitoring across land, waterside areas and access points.

    Perimeter and Waterside Detection

    Land boundaries may use fencing, fiber-optic intrusion detection, radar, thermal cameras and fixed video surveillance. Waterside protection requires a different sensor mix. Marine radar, thermal imaging, electro-optical cameras and vessel-tracking data can help operators understand activity approaching restricted areas.

    Access and Identity

    Ports contain numerous restricted zones. Staff, contractors, drivers and visitors require different access permissions. Smart credentials, biometric verification, vehicle identification and gate automation can reduce manual processing while improving auditability.

    Cargo and Vehicle Security

    Container yards and logistics gates need clear chain-of-custody controls. License-plate recognition, container identification, video evidence and screening technologies can be integrated with terminal operating systems so security events are linked to operational records.

    Maritime Domain Awareness

    AIS vessel data provides useful context but should not be treated as a complete detection system. Radar, optical sensors and other independent sources are necessary because not every object will transmit reliable identity information. Sensor fusion helps create a more complete picture of the waterside environment.

    Command and Control

    Large ports may operate thousands of cameras and many independent security systems. A unified command center should correlate video, access-control alarms, radar tracks, intrusion events, vessel information and emergency communications. Map-based visualization is especially valuable in large terminals.

    Critical Infrastructure Protection

    Ports also contain fuel systems, power distribution, communications, cranes and industrial control equipment. Cybersecurity and physical security must be coordinated because disruption to connected operational systems can create physical consequences.

    Conclusion

    Modern port security depends on layered detection and strong operational integration. The objective is not simply to watch more cameras, but to combine identity, cargo, perimeter and maritime data into a coherent picture that allows operators to identify unusual activity early and respond efficiently.