Maritime cyber security

The report highlights the risks posed by the digital transformation of the maritime sector in Africa, noting that while most incidents have occurred elsewhere, the continent's heavy reliance on seaborne trade makes it vulnerable. It identifies a significant gap in Africa-specific research and a slow rate of ratification for the AU Malabo Convention. The author recommends that African Union member states adopt national cyber laws and that the AU integrate cyber security into the African Peace and Security Architecture and the 2050 Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy.

• The shipping and ports industries are undergoing a digital transformation through the adoption of automation, big data, the internet of things, and blockchain to increase efficiency and profitability, but this increases vulnerability to cyber-attacks.
• Cyber-attacks on maritime logistics hubs can cause systemic disruptions and massive financial losses that extend far beyond the immediate target, as evidenced by the 2017 attack on Maersk which caused approximately US$300 million in collateral damages.
• Africa is highly susceptible to maritime cyber risks because an estimated 90% of its trade is seaborne, and many of its 55 states are landlocked and dependent on coastal ports.
• There is a critical lack of research specifically focused on the African maritime cyber security context, though the continent can learn from global incidents to mitigate future threats.
• Implementation of cyber security frameworks in Africa is lagging; since 2014, only 14 countries have signed and eight have ratified the AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo Convention).
• Current African maritime security instruments, including the 2050 Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy and the Lomé Charter of 2016, do not sufficiently reflect the nexus between cyber and maritime security.

APA

Reva, D. (2020). Maritime cyber security. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ar-29-2.pdf

Chicago

Reva, Denys. Maritime cyber security. Institute for Security Studies, 2020. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ar-29-2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Reva |first1=Denys |title=Maritime cyber security |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=October 2020 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ar-29-2.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{reva2020maritime, author = {Reva, Denys}, title = {{Maritime cyber security}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2020}, month = oct, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ar-29-2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }