Maritime Cyber Threats research group

Investigating marine cyber threats and researching solutions
Ship with tugs and a launch with graphical overlay
As a Tier 1 National UK threat, a maritime cyber-attack can cost companies millions of pounds and have a negative impact on safety and the environment. As the world heavily depends on maritime operations, we at the University of Plymouth have been researching maritime cyber-threats as few organisations have the capability, connections and facilities to do so.
This group is uniquely placed to make significant contributions in maritime cyber-security and brings together leading-edge multidisciplinary research and practical expertise from across the University and beyond. This group has various funded projects for academic research, but also engages in consulting and other collaborations with industry and government internationally.
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Research objectives

  • Compiling a body of knowledge for maritime cyber-threats.
  • Vulnerability and risk analysis for existing ship-based systems (IT&OT).
  • Holistic scenario-based training and cross-discipline visualisation.
  • Supply chain vulnerabilities for maritime systems and operations.
  • Cyber-security for autonomous vessels, ports, and offshore structures.
  • Policy changes for secure standards and training for next gen mariners.
  • Understanding psychological perceptions of, and responses to, threats.
  • Develop effective recovery strategies in the event of an attack.
  • Analyse cyber-physical and ship to shore/space/ship interactions.
Our cross-discipline research includes knowledge in:
  • cybersecurity, communications and network research
  • maritime policy, law, business, and economics
  • system penetration testing, audit testing
  • data visualisation, augmented/virtual reality
  • hardware design and circuitry
  • artificial intelligence (AI) machine learning (ML)
  • maritime/naval history, 20th/21st century literature
  • clean maritime and autonomous solutions
  • navigation and maritime science, mariner training
  • psychology.
Find out more about our research: publications, news, and talks

Key projects

Significant research with academia, government, and industry.

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Cyber-SHIP Lab

The Cyber-SHIP Lab has been funded for three years with a view to it then becoming self-sustaining, and will address a number of complex and interlinked issues affecting the maritime industry.
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Cyber-Resilience of Offshore Wind Networks (CROWN)

CROWN will develop the world’s first dedicated offshore wind cyber security research, test and development facility, supporting the investigation of offshore wind technology and control networks focusing on cyber vulnerability.
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Maritime Cyber Risk Assessment (MaCRA)

The Maritime Cyber Risk Assessment framework will enable international shipping operators and insurers to rapidly assess individual ship’s or entire fleets’ unique cyber risk profiles.
Cyber security concept - image courtesy of Getty Images
Cyber preparedness actions for a holistic approach and awareness raising in the MARitime logistics supply chain (Cyber-MAR)

To develop an innovative cybersecurity simulation environment for accommodating the peculiarities of the maritime sector while, with the view to unlock the value of the use of cyber range in the maritime logistics value chain.
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Secure X Trustworthy AI Navigation (SeXTANt)

This project aims to offer a comprehensive, holistic view of securing MASS AI and to effectively communicate practical solutions to the relevant stakeholders.
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Secure AI within Marine Autonomy Systems (SAIMAS)

This project aims to enhance the cyber resilience of AI in marine autonomous systems by recommending best practices throughout the lifecycle of marine AI – from development and training to deployment.

Cyber-SHIP Lab symposium 2024
International Maritime Organization, London

13–14 November, 2024

The 2024 symposium will build on the success of the previous symposia that attracted hundreds of delegates and a wide range of expert international speakers.
This year's event, staged in close collaboration with the IMO, addresses 'Directions and challenges in maritime cyber, current and future'.
Find out more and register for the Cyber-SHIP Lab symposium
Marine navigational officer is using laptop or notebook at sea on ship or boat. Cyber-ship maritime.

Interview and scenarios

Professor Kevin Jones comments on the issue of Maritime Cyber Security, the very real threats this poses to maritime economies, and the vectors, methods, and motives of the attacks. Since 2016, we have used scenarios to house a number of research findings to better convey our findings (Previous examples: False AIS, Ransomware).
More recently we have built scenarios for the UK, Australia, India, USA, and Singapore and presented these globally in various events and workshops. These scenarios encompass our research from the human element, cyber-security, engineering, data visualisation, and more.

Lab culture

Cyber-SHIP and its researches are embedded into the wider University in order to provide cybersecurity resilience to marine and maritime technology more broadly. This includes protection for autonomous vessels, clean maritime initiatives, and more. Apart from the staff below, we are also happy to welcome visiting researchers, interns, master students, undergraduate students, and even work experience students from around the world. We promote a high-preforming, open, and diverse research culture.
A list of previous visitors is currently being created and will be linked here shortly. If you have an interest in being a visiting researcher please reach out.

Related content from the University

Past visitors and projects

Some of the research assistants, research fellows, visiting researchers, work experience students and interns who have worked with the research group.

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Kemedi Moara-Nkwe, Research Fellow on the Cyber-MAR project 2019–2022, at wheel of sailing boat.

"I very much enjoyed my time at the University of Plymouth and hopefully we can continue working together on research projects/bids, papers and the like as I am remaining in the maritime technology area." – Dr Kemedi Moara-Nkwe, Cyber-MAR RF 2019–2022

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Gizem Kayişoğlu, research fellow on Cyber-SHIP Lab, on the deck of a boat at sea.

"I am so happy and honoured to been involved in Cyber-SHIP Lab; it was the key point in my research and I am grateful for the help of the research staff." – Dr Gizem Kayişoğlu, visiting PhD student from Turkey 2022

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Eliot New - micro internship image

"Spending time with the Cyber-SHIP Lab team has been enormously beneficial and rewarding – I’ve come out of this feeling more open to doing more postgraduate study and am more interested in cybersecurity." – Eliot New, micro-intern 2023

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Erlend Erstad

"It was beneficial for me as an educated seafarer to work with the Cyber-SHIP Lab team, as they are a diverse and interesting group of people. I got to participate in both theoretical and practical research." – visiting PhD student from Norway 2022

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Jordan, UoP masters student at Maritime Cyber Threats research group

"Here I get to work with leading researchers on genuine issues. It gives me the confidence that I will graduate with the skills I need to make a real-world difference in maritime cybersecurity." – Jordan, UoP masters student 2022

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Dan, work experience student at Maritime Cyber Threats research group

"You spoke at the South West Cyber Security Cluster conference about Cyber-SHIP Lab, and I was fascinated by your work!" – Dan, work experience student 2023

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Thobisa Simelane

"Thank you Dr Kimberly Tam and your great team for a productive and insightful week at the Cyber-SHIP Lab." – Dr Thobisa Simelane, Postdoctoral Fellow from South Africa

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Maritime Cyber Threats research group summer 2024

Summer 2024, from left to right Zuzanna (work experience student in VR), Luke (in VR), Jasper, Dennis (micro-intern), Keiran (work experience student), Dr Rory Hopcraft.

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2023's Cyber-SHIP Lab work experience student, Daniel Bruton, from Camborne Science and International Academy (3rd from right), and Eliot New (middle), the Maritime Cyber Threat research group's frist summer micro-intern of the year.

2023's Cyber-SHIP Lab work experience student, Daniel Bruton, from Camborne Science and International Academy (3rd from right), and Eliot New (middle), the Maritime Cyber Threat research group's frist summer micro-intern of the year. 

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Marco A joined us for his Work Experience week.  Jordan Gurren joined us for his Masters project (under cybersecurity).  He now works for JT.

Marco (right) joined the research group for his work experience week. Jordan (left) joined for his Masters project on cybersecurity.

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visiting researchers 2022

Gizem Kayişoğlu (left) visited us from İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi in 2022 as a visiting researcher. Erlend Erstad (middle) was a visiting researcher for three months at the end of 2022, from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

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Kemedi Moara-nkwe / Keiran 

Kemedi Moara-nkwe (on the right) was a Research Fellow on the Cyber-MAR project from 2019–2022. He is now a Lecturer at Solent University Southampton. Kieran Milligan (5th from the right) was a Project Support officer for Cyber-MAR in 2022.

Thank you Dr Kimberly Tam and your great team for a productive and insightful week at the Cyber-SHIP Lab.

Zuzanna, work experience student, 2024

I was eager to explore the research carried out in this field. This opportunity provided hands-on experience with varied tools that developed my understanding of various types of cyber-attacks and offered invaluable knowledge.

Dennis-Stefan, micro-intern 2024

Staff profiles

Marine Biology induction image of a Jellyfish. Courtesy of Shutterstock.