In an era where digital transformation is reshaping the maritime industry, cybersecurity has emerged as a cornerstone of safe and efficient vessel operations. Ships are increasingly digital, with navigation, propulsion, and cargo systems connected to IT networks. A single cyber incident can disrupt voyages, compromise safety, and cause reputational and financial losses.
At Anglo-Eastern, cybersecurity is not a siloed IT function – it is a shared responsibility embedded across ship and shore, underpinning the safety, compliance, and continuity of over 750 vessels under management. Treating cybersecurity as an integral part of business processes enhances vessel safety, environmental compliance, and commercial continuity remain intact in a world where threats evolve as quickly as technology itself.
“Anglo-Eastern is among the first ship managers to treat cybersecurity as a core element of safety and compliance, not just an IT function,” Xerxes Kiok Kan, Head of Information Security at Anglo-Eastern, remarked. “With our ISO/IEC 27001-certified Global Contact Centre and a dedicated IT security framework spanning over 750 vessels, we are setting industry benchmarks. While others view cybersecurity as an add-on, we embed it into every voyage, making us one of the most trusted names in maritime cybersecurity today.”
Cybersecurity starts before the voyage
Before any managed vessel sets sail, Anglo-Eastern’s IT team initiates a rigorous pre-departure protocol designed to fortify digital defences. These procedures include:
- Endpoint hardening to ensure devices are secure against unauthorised access.
- Antivirus and endpoint detection updates to maintain protection against emerging threats.
- Critical software patching to close vulnerabilities.
- Backup and recovery readiness checks to safeguard data integrity.
- Satellite connectivity testing to ensure reliable communications.
- Network segregation across IT, Operational Technology (OT), and Crew domains to prevent cross-contamination of systems.
Asset inventories and security baselines are also refreshed to confirm alignment with company standards, IACS UR E26 regulations, and international frameworks, ensuring vessels are digitally seaworthy from the outset.
Vigilance at sea: cybersecurity never sleeps
Once a vessel is underway, Anglo-Eastern’s cyber vigilance intensifies. Measures include:
- Continuous monitoring via our Global Contact Centre (GCC), with satellite integration to detect anomalies in real time.
- Secure patching and threat intelligence updates pushed from shore.
- 24/7 incident response coordination between onboard crew and shore-based cyber teams to ensure alignment on risk management and quick escalation amid incidents.
- Scheduled training refreshers and just-in-time alerts to reinforce awareness.
- Secure audit trails to ensure data is transmitted back to shore for analysis and compliance reporting.
- Tabletop preparedness drills to validate readiness and response capabilities.
This hybrid coordination model – crew vigilance onboard, supported by real-time oversight ashore – ensures that operational continuity and safety are never compromised.
Ship and shore in sync
At Anglo-Eastern, cybersecurity is maintained through seamless collaboration between our Vessel IT team and our Global Contact Centre (GCC). The Vessel IT team develop the technical architecture, establish baselines, and pushes secure updates to the fleet, while the GCC provides 24/7 monitoring, real-time threat detection, and incident response coordination.
When anomalies are detected, GCC analysts work directly with onboard officers and the Vessel IT team ashore to investigate, escalate, and remediate, ensuring no vessel is ever isolated in its cyber defence. This integrated ship-to-shore model combines the technical depth of our Vessel IT specialists with the operational vigilance of the GCC, delivering a continuous protective layer for our managed fleet.
Strategic partnerships and audits
Anglo-Eastern collaborates with global cybersecurity partners and undergoes third-party audits to validate resilience. We partner with industry players to conduct penetration tests and ISO/IEC 27001 assessments regularly. These activities range from annual certification audits to quarterly penetration testing and continuous monitoring via external threat intelligence providers.
Our GCC is ISO/IEC 27001 certified, which means all processes are aligned with international standards and audited annually. ISO/IEC 27001 also underpins Anglo-Eastern’s wider information security framework, ensuring consistent governance, risk management, and compliance across both shore and fleet operations.
We also rely on Handshake Networking Ltd.’s years of penetration testing expertise to deliver both internal and external penetration tests across our fleet critical assurance steps that directly validate system resilience against real-world scenarios.
Anglo-Eastern’s cybersecurity infrastructure is not just a technical achievement – it is a strategic enabler of safe, compliant, and resilient maritime operations. At Anglo-Eastern, cybersecurity is not only IT’s responsibility; it is a joint responsibility shared between ship and shore. In a world where digital threats evolve as swiftly as technology itself, Anglo-Eastern remains steadfast in its mission to navigate safely, securely, and smartly.
