The world today is a volatile place with myriad threats against physical and economic security. While there has been mass investment in securing land, air, sea, and space from a military standpoint, the maritime industry is still vulnerable to attack. From the security of America’s ports to the safety of American vessels transporting both people and goods, safeguarding these maritime assets is essential to building a robust national security posture.
In this Q&A with the team at DSI Group, who are hosting a Maritime Security Summit on July 23 and 24, 2025, we dig into the threats facing ships, ports, and other maritime infrastructure and gain some insights into how to solve some of these challenges. If you’re in the United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, Department of Homeland Security, or Customs and Border Patrol, or State Department there are interesting topics to consider and understand how they apply not just to agency priorities but also to local partners as well.
Keep reading to learn more.
Government Technology Insider (GTI): What is maritime security and why is protecting America’s ports so important to national security?
DSI Group (DSI): Maritime security refers to the measures and strategies implemented to protect vessels, ports, and maritime infrastructure from threats. It encompasses a range of activities aimed at safeguarding maritime assets, ensuring the safety and security of trade routes, and preventing illicit activities at sea. Collaboration between governments, international organizations, and maritime industry stakeholders is vital to addressing challenges and vulnerabilities in the maritime domain. DSI’s Maritime Security Summit dives deeper into the various efforts and partnerships currently underway to bolster situational awareness and combat various threats to maritime critical infrastructure.
The protection of our ports is essential to overall national security efforts because of the vital role ports play in trade, the economy, and national defense. With so much cargo traffic passing through, it is important for security measures to adequately monitor and protect the ports while still allowing an efficient flow of goods. Oversight and responsibilities for port security are divided between numerous actors and can be complex. Ports are constantly vulnerable to a variety of threats including terrorism, smuggling, and a wide range of other illicit activities. To enhance the protection of US ports moving forward, there must be an increase in effective collaboration and information sharing as well as an increased investment in emerging technologies that will combat different issues.
GTI: What are some of the most significant threats to the maritime industry?
DSI: The three biggest threats currently facing the maritime industry are: International Conflicts/Global Instability, Cyber Attacks, and Piracy/Illicit Maritime Activities.
The rise in International Conflicts/Global Instability has caused many problems out at sea on open waters. Currently, chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz, the South China Sea, and the Black Sea are becoming more volatile, and a focal point of regional disputes. The various conflicts going on such as the Russia-Ukraine war, has disrupted trade flows in the Black Sea, has resulted in increased freight costs and supply chain woes.
The second threat that affects every country globally would be Cyber Attacks. The maritime security sector has experienced rapid digital transformation with the integration of sophisticated technologies for enhanced maritime domain awareness and threat detection. Although, with the integration of such technologies, has come a brand-new form of cyber-attacks. These attacks target vessel navigation systems, port infrastructure, and supply chain databases, resulting in the potential to disrupt operations, national trade, and even compromise sensitive data. At this year’s DSI’s Maritime Security Summit, the agenda will feature a panel of senior leaders from across different sectors, that will cover down on current plans, partnerships, and strategies being put in place to build cyber resiliency and combat this critical issue in maritime critical infrastructure security.
The third threat, which has existed for centuries as a growing threat, would be Piracy and Illicit Maritime Activities. Though incidents of piracy have declined in recent years, increasing economic pressures in vulnerable regions, coupled with limited enforcement capabilities, could result in a resurgence in maritime crime, endangering crew safety and disrupting trade. Illicit narcotics smuggling and Illegal, Unreported, & Unregulated (IUU) fishing are also major issues that need to be addressed. Agencies like the US Coast Guard, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, Defense Innovation Unit, and US Customs and Border Patrol Air & Marine Operations, are all working toward addressing these issues. From ensuring maritime situational awareness through enhanced sensing and data sharing, to utilizing commercial technologies to aide in spotting, surveilling, and tracking illicit maritime activities, there has been an increase in collaboration to bolster maritime law enforcement and interdiction activities.
GTI: How important is it for agencies and private sector companies to collaborate to secure ports, ships, and other key elements of the maritime industry?
DSI: Collaboration strengthens maritime security posture. Driving partnerships between government agencies and private sector companies is critical for securing the maritime industry, including ports, ships, and related infrastructure. This partnership is essential for developing a comprehensive and resilient security posture against a wide range of threats. They help to ensure shared threat intelligence, resource optimization, economic stability, and enhance overall national security.
GTI: How is AI shaping the future of maritime security?
DSI: AI has become a strategic asset in anticipating risks at sea and automating the monitoring of maritime areas. New sensors and AI offer automated detection of risks at sea, marking the beginning of a new era in maritime safety. Key applications are AI in maritime security are navigation and collision avoidance systems, real-time vessel monitoring, and automated decision making, just to name a few.
The most direct benefits of utilizing AI-powered technologies to secure maritime domain are for combatting illicit activities & bolstering prevention; port security and management; and of course, for enhancing the cybersecurity of critical maritime systems. They even play a role in driving innovation in unmanned systems (UxS) across the DoD, particularly the US Navy. DSI’s Maritime Security Summit will also offer an important panel discussion centered around creating a network of UxS, networks, and AI tools to detect abnormal maritime behaviors and cue manned ships.
GTI: Any final thoughts to share?
DSI: One other area that should be mentioned as a potential threat to maritime security is the importance of not falling behind in shipbuilding efforts in the Homeland. A recent Executive Order passed by the White House called for a strengthening of U.S. shipbuilding to keep a pace with rapidly expanding adversaries and the emphasis on a stronger maritime industrial base equipped with a vast fleet of ships that could serve as on-call assets for national security purposes.
Maritime security measures are key to ensuring global safety. The United States continues to enhance the capabilities of current systems, developing new procedures to detect, locate, and track maritime threats and illicit activities for improved overall situational awareness. Maritime security efforts are essential in protecting ports and providing coastal surveillance technologies and services to safeguard national interests and its people against various maritime threats.