In response to increasing cyber attacks on ports, shipping companies and logistics, the new Maritime Cyber Security Group Germany network has been formed.
The maritime industry is the backbone of German trade. Container terminals, shipping companies, shipyards and logistics providers keep supplies flowing. At the same time, it is precisely these hubs that are increasingly being targeted by cyber criminals and state-sponsored attackers.
In its latest status report, the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) registers an average of around 309,000 new malware variants per day. This is an increase of 26 percent compared to the previous year. At European level, the transport sector is now one of the most frequently attacked areas. According to the EU cybersecurity agency ENISA, port authorities, port operators, shipping companies and suppliers are particularly affected – especially by ransomware, malware and phishing.
Legally, passenger and freight transport, including maritime and inland waterway transport, is considered critical infrastructure. This is documented in the BSI Critical Infrastructure Ordinance and the accompanying federal information. This increases the pressure on companies to make their IT and OT systems more resilient and to detect and report incidents more quickly.
Against this backdrop, the Maritime Cyber Security Group Germany, a new network of senior IT and OT managers from the German maritime industry, is being formed. The aim is to pool knowledge, discuss incidents confidentially and jointly develop effective countermeasures.
“Cyberattacks on maritime companies are no longer an exception, but part of day-to-day business. Anyone who manages a ship, a port or a logistics chain today is essentially operating a digital system. Individual companies quickly reach their limits here. We need a protected space in which we can share experiences, openly address mistakes and learn from each other. This is precisely why we are setting up the Maritime Cyber Security Group,” says Martin Lochte-Holtgreven, initiator of Marcybersec and co-organizer of the new initiative.
According to its own information, the group is explicitly aimed at the entire maritime value chain in Germany. It is aimed at IT and information security managers from shipping companies, shipyards, port and terminal operators, logistics companies, service providers and specialized IT and OT security providers – from the North Sea to inland ports in the south.
According to the initiative, a look abroad shows that such networks can work. Industry-specific exchange formats and ISACs (Information Sharing and Analysis Centers) have been established in several countries in recent years. In Copenhagen, for example, the Maritime Cyber Guild is a non-profit organization working to advance cyber security in the shipping industry through structured exchanges of experience and joint projects. The new Maritime Cyber Security Group in Germany is planning to work closely with this and other international initiatives.
The Maritime Cyber Security Group will be launched on December 12, 2025 at the Kiel Science Center. After short keynote speeches from companies, research and authorities, the participants will work on the formats and content of the future cooperation in workshops.
The kick-off is being jointly organized by the Maritime Cluster Northern Germany, EDIH-SH, the Kiel Science Centre, DRYNET GmbH and Marcybersec. The event is aimed at companies and organizations from the entire German maritime industry – regardless of location and size.
Further information on the Kick-of-Meeting can be found here.
