The ongoing digital transformation of the worldwide maritime transportation system (MTS) is moving from previously isolated legacy systems to fully interconnected, globally available, and remotely controllable maritime systems. This transformation has a huge impact on most global supply
chains that depend existentially upon maritime. Ultimately, it has also the potential to pave the way for autonomous, smart, and green shipping, improving the efficiency and sustainability of the MTS.

However, in light of the growing threat of cyberattacks and malicious electromagnetic activities, protecting our maritime transportation and communication systems must be a top priority not only from an economic view, but also from a social and political perspective. The Ever Given’s Suez Canal obstruction in March 2021 has made the world community noticeably aware of how fragile and vulnerable our global supply chains are. But beyond merchant ships and shipping lanes, port facilities and cargo terminals, as well as many other infrastructures such as oil and gas platforms, offshore wind farms, and subsea pipelines and cables, must also be secured. Recent attacks on gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea also highlight the need for more networked surveillance systems, both on the surface and underwater.

The scope of the MarCaS Workshop are innovations from research necessary for the digital transformation, focusing on maritime information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) on board vessels and maritime industrial control systems, but also on shore at ports, terminals, and other maritime infrastructures. Maritime communication, satellite navigation, radio-based situational awareness systems, and maritime cloud services are of particular interest of MarCaS, combined with novel cybersecurity approaches for a safer and more resilient MTS.