The Maritime Risk Podcast

In this episode of the ShorelineHudson Maritime Risk Podcast, we explore how the maritime sector is confronting the growing challenge of cyber risk with data-driven clarity. Our guests include Rob Vasquez, CEO of Beacon Technologies, Rick Siebenaler, CEO of the Maritime Cybersecurity Institute and academic sponsor of this fully funded research initiative, and Sean Jensen, ShorelineHudson's cyber expert and program facilitator. Together, they discuss the Maritime Cybersecurity Institute's vessel cyber risk analysis program powered by CYFAX+ and how it is transforming the way shipowners, operators, and regulators visualize, assess, and act on vessel-level cyber threat intelligence. If you're ready to understand what it truly means to "see the threat," this is a conversation you won't want to miss. Speakers: Rob Vazquez – Beacon Technologies Rob Vazquez is the CEO of Beacon Technology Group and a pioneer in cybersecurity innovation with over 30 years of experience across global IT and data protection. He has led enterprise-scale deployments for multinational firms and is the inventor behind a patent-pending AI-based threat processing system. Rob's work at Beacon focuses on developing accessible cybersecurity solutions, including the CYFAX+ platform, which supports advanced threat visibility and regulatory compliance.   Rick Siebenaler - Maritime Cybersecurity Institute Rick Siebenaler is the CEO of the Maritime Cybersecurity Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing cyber resilience in the commercial maritime sector. With a distinguished background at the NSA, CyberGuard, EY, and Deloitte—holding titles such as Chief Scientist and Global CISO, Rick brings strategic depth to maritime cybersecurity. His leadership is driving the sector toward a more mature, integrated approach to cyber risk management.   Sean Jensen - ShorelineHudson Sean Jensen is a cyber threat specialist at ShorelineHudson with a master's in Homeland Security and expertise in maritime risk assessment. He leads the development and deployment of the AVRA platform, delivering intelligence-driven cyber and physical vulnerability assessments for global port and vessel operations. Certified as a Facility Security Officer and Business Continuity Professional, Sean supports compliance and resilience strategies across the maritime domain.    

The countdown is on - in this critical episode, your host, Captain Thomas Brown sits down with ShorelineHudson's cybersecurity lead Mike Malito to unpack the U.S. Coast Guard's new Final Rule on Cybersecurity, a sweeping update to the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) that mandates a national baseline for cyber readiness across all regulated U.S. ports and terminals. With the July 2025 deadline fast approaching, this episode delivers a clear, actionable roadmap for compliant facilities. From identifying a cyber officer to rolling out mandatory staff training, conducting risk assessments, and drafting a compliant cyber plan, Mike breaks down exactly what's required, and how ShorelineHudson's PortLogix™ and Acrisure's Cybersecurity Blanket can help facilities of all sizes comply without breaking the bank. Don't miss this deep dive into one of the most significant regulatory shifts in U.S. port security.

In this follow-up to episode 36 of the ShorelineHudson Maritime Risk Podcast, Captain Thomas Brown is joined again by U.S. trade policy expert Andrew Baskin to unpack the now-finalized U.S. port fee regime targeting Chinese-linked vessels. With tariffs topping $1 million per voyage in some cases, strategic exemptions, and geopolitical backlash brewing in Beijing, we explore how this policy is already reshaping vessel operations, trade alliances, asset values — and possibly the future of American shipbuilding. From rerouted cargo to retaliatory threats, this episode dives deep into the policy's impact and the unintended consequences for shippers, carriers, and global trade at large.

As U.S. policymakers reconsider controversial port fees targeting Chinese-built ships, uncertainty still looms for shipowners, charterers, and global supply chains. In this episode, Captain Thomas Brown speaks with Washington-based policy advisor Andrew Baskin to unpack the latest developments, explore the commercial risks for Far East owners, and explain how time-chartered vessels could be affected.

In this episode of the ShorelineHudson Maritime Risk Podcast, Captain Thomas Brown sits down with Tim Gerland, Senior Vice President ShorelineHudson and leading expert on U.S. environmental compliance, to unpack the U.S. Coast Guard's sweeping update to its Marine Environmental Response Guidelines.  

Welcome to the Shoreline Maritime Risk Podcast. I'm your host, Captain Thomas Brown, CEO of Shoreline Ltd. Today, I'm joined by Joshua Hutchinson, Managing Director of Intelligence and Risk at Ambrey, the UK's leading maritime security firm. Ambrey specializes in intelligence-led risk management for shipping, oil and gas, and offshore industries, providing security escorts, armed protection, and operational risk solutions. Joshua brings extensive expertise in maritime security, having led major evacuation and emergency response operations. In this episode, we'll discuss the rising security threats to merchant shipping, Ambrey's latest threat assessment, and what shipowners need to know to protect their vessels. Let's dive in.

In this episode of Shoreline's Maritime Risk Podcast, host Thomas Brown speaks with Rob Vasquez, CEO and founder of Beacon Technologies, about groundbreaking advancements in maritime cybersecurity. Rob shares insights into Beacon's innovative tools—CyFax and Detect—designed to offer vessels a 360-degree defense against modern cyber threats. Learn how these cutting-edge solutions bring real-time threat intelligence and automated remediation to the maritime industry, making robust cybersecurity accessible to all. Tune in to discover the critical role of continuous attack simulations, adaptive threat intelligence, and proactive security measures to protect vessels from the ever-evolving cyber landscape.

In our latest episode of Shoreline's Maritime Risk Podcast, we dive into how AI is revolutionizing the maritime industry. Join host Captain Thomas Brown as he chats with Osher Perry, CEO of Shipin Systems, about their groundbreaking AI platform, Fleet Vision. Discover how AI-powered video monitoring and data analytics are improving safety, reducing incidents by 40%, and boosting operational efficiency on vessels worldwide. Whether you're curious about the tech or eager to explore its tangible impact on shipboard operations, this episode is a must-listen for all maritime professionals! Tune in now to learn how AI is shaping the future of shipping.

In this insightful episode of the Shoreline Maritime Risk Podcast, we dive into one of the most pressing topics facing the shipping industry today: carbon finance. As environmental regulations tighten and market expectations evolve, shipowners and industry stakeholders must navigate the complex landscape of carbon accounting, sustainable finance, and compliance reporting. Join Captain Thomas Brown and Darren Wolfberg, CEO of Triangle Systems Inc., as they explore how carbon finance is impacting the maritime sector. From practical strategies for reducing carbon footprints to understanding the financial implications of non-compliance, this episode is packed with valuable insights that can help shipowners turn regulatory challenges into competitive advantages. Whether you're in finance, shipping, or just interested in the future of maritime sustainability, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

As the maritime industry faces increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions and align with global sustainability targets, AXA XL's EEI offers a unique insurance solution. Their new product is designed to cover the additional carbon emissions that result from fortuitous events like course deviations to a port of refuge or repairs, by providing indemnity in the form of voluntary carbon credits. We will explore how this insurance product integrates with traditional marine insurance offerings, the process of calculating and verifying carbon credits, and the impact of regulatory changes on the demand for EEI. Hanna will also share insights into the challenges and future developments in the field of carbon offsetting within the shipping industry.

Welcome to the latest episode of Shoreline's Maritime Risk Podcast, where we dive deep into the crucial issues facing the shipping industry today. In this episode, we tackle the pressing topic of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) compliance and its growing significance in the maritime sector. Our esteemed guests, Anne Katrine Bjerregaard from the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping and Peter Jameson from The Boston Consulting Group , bring their extensive expertise to the table. They discuss the newly developed ESG Playbook for Shipping, offering invaluable insights into integrating ESG strategies, navigating regulatory pressures, and leveraging technological innovations. Tune in to learn how embracing ESG can not only enhance transparency and sustainability but also drive economic value and operational efficiency for your shipping business.

In this episode of Shoreline's Maritime Risk Podcast, we delve into Shoreline's newly launched MDCI Client Protection Scheme. In this episode, Shoreline's P&I Consultant Simon Swallow puts the questions to Shoreline's CEO Captain Thomas Brown. Together, they discuss the intricacies of MDCI, its key benefits, how to opt-in to the MDCI Client Protection Scheme, and real-life claims scenarios that highlight the critical importance of MDCI in today's U.S. regulatory environment. Whether you're a vessel operator or simply interested in maritime insurance and compliance, this episode delivers valuable insights and practical advice on safeguarding your operations against unexpected operational costs and legal challenges and expenses in the U.S.. So, tune in to uncover how Shoreline's MDCI Client Protection Scheme is safeguarding the financial interests of ship owners trading their vessels to U.S. ports in the post Dali era of increased PSC scrutiny.

Join us for our latest episode of the Shoreline Maritime Risk Podcast as we sit down with Simon Swallow, our newest consultant and seasoned P&I insurance veteran. With over three decades of experience, Simon delves into the transformative journey of the P&I insurance industry, discussing key changes, technological advancements, and the future of P&I insurance and risk management. This insightful conversation sheds light on the intricacies of P&I insurance and the pivotal role of P&I clubs in the global maritime industry.

In this urgent episode, we confront the alarming rise of drone attacks in crucial shipping lanes. Experts from Reperion join us to dissect the challenges faced by seafarers in the Red Sea and beyond. Discover innovative strategies to shield ships from these airborne hazards and delve into the future of maritime safety amidst growing geopolitical strife and technological warfare at sea.   Guests:    Andrew Sallay Mr Sallay is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Reperion. He is an entrepreneur who has founded and headed up companies and projects in Asia for over 15 years across B2B enterprise services, Offshore Oil & Gas Services, and Maritime Transport. Most recently, he has worked with several technology start-ups and ventures raising in excess of US$20 million. He gained an MBA from the University of Chicago and his BA from Swarthmore College, USA.   Jessie Hamill-Stewart Jessie is a Senior Writer at Reperion, for whom she has written articles relating to maritime cybersecurity, published in The Maritime Executive and Hellenic Shipping News. She is also a Cyber Security (TIPS-at-Scale) CDT (PhD) candidate at University of Bath and University of Bristol, where she researches cyber attacks against space infrastructure. She enjoys public advocacy and has taught undergraduate International Relations seminars.   https://reperion.io/

The episode rounds off our short series of educational podcasts which have been recorded to provide our listeners with a deeper understanding of our new MDCI product. In this the final episode we learn from the lifelong professional experience of George Chalos when defending shipowners and their crews before the U.S. courts and speaks to the value of the legal services we have embedded within the MDCI policy. Our listeners are walked through a typical claim scenario and will be left in no doubt why it is important for shipowners and their crews to have recourse to the right help and advice when subject to the rigors an expanded USCG PSC MARPOL investigation in the U.S.

In this podcast episode, we invite you to explore the detailed benefits, policy limits, and how you can integrate MDCI into your current Shoreline coverage. For those listeners new to our insurance solutions, we explain how our flexible premium models are tailored to accommodate your vessel's unique attributes. Listen now, to discover how MDCI can serve as your protective shield against the risks associated with MARPOL prosecutions in the U.S., that have persisted for the past two decades.

In this very special episode of Shoreline's Maritime Risk Podcast, we are excited to introduce a new insurance solution, namely, MDCI, which has been carefully crafted to address one of the most pressing challenges for ship owners and their crew trading their vessels to the U.S. today. After a year of research and collaboration with industry experts, maritime lawyers and marine reinsures at Lloyd's, we are thrilled to unveil this essential new coverage which will bridge the gap in an owner's P&I cover when facing allegations of MARPOL violations in the U.S. Dive in as we uncover the backstory, the need, and the value of this groundbreaking insurance product.

In this episode of Shoreline's Maritime Risk Podcast, we discuss the main incentives and commercial goals driving hackers to target the maritime industry. We unravel how high-profile incidents, such as the Ever Given's Suez Canal blockage, have created newfound incentives for hackers to exploit vulnerabilities within the sector. Additionally, we uncover the emerging role of AI, specifically ChatGPT, in assisting hackers with sophisticated phishing email campaigns, leading to potential breaches in vessel security.   The potential consequences of cyberattacks on vessels' navigational control and network infrastructure are thoroughly scrutinized, illuminating the alarming risks associated with these malicious activities. Fear not, however,  as our experts share effective strategies and essential measures for mitigating cyber threats in the maritime industry.   Finally, we examine the ethical considerations and challenges stemming from hackers' use of AI for criminal activities, shedding light on the responsibility of AI developers and technology providers in preventing misuse.   Podcast Guests: Jessie Hamill-Stewart Jessie is a Senior Writer at Reperion, for whom she has written articles relating to maritime cybersecurity, published in The Maritime Executive and Hellenic Shipping News. She is also a Cyber Security (TIPS-at-Scale) CDT (PhD) candidate at University of Bath and University of Bristol, where she researches cyber attacks against space infrastructure. She enjoys public advocacy and has taught undergraduate International Relations seminars.   Andrew Sallay Mr Sallay is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Reperion. He is an entrepreneur who has founded and headed up companies and projects in Asia for over 15 years across B2B enterprise services, Offshore Oil & Gas Services, and Maritime Transport. Most recently, he has worked with several technology start-ups and ventures raising in excess of US$20 million. He gained an MBA from the University of Chicago and his BA from Swarthmore College, USA.   Dr. Dmitry Mikhaylov Dr. Mikhaylov, Chief Scientific Officer and Co-founder of Reperion, is a cybersecurity thought leader and academic. An official United Nations Expert, he obtained his PhD in Artificial Intelligence and an MBA from University of Warwick. He has co-authored 10 books and has taught or conducted research at 3 universities in the fields of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. Most recently, Dmitry served as a Visiting Associate Professor at National University of Singapore (NUS Enterprise) and is head of research at the Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy.

Welcome to the latest episode of Shoreline's Maritime Risk Podcast, in this episode we discuss an alarming statistic from the maritime industry. According to a report by RightShip, an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)-focused digital maritime platform, half of the maritime incidents recorded in 2022 occurred in ports and terminals. This data was collected from various sources, including PSC, MOUs, classification societies, flag states, shipowners and managers self-reporting. The report states that 2,400 incidents were recorded in 2022 where the location was recorded. Yucel Yildiz, RightShip's Port and Terminal Manager, expressed concern over this statistic and emphasized the need for harbour masters and operations teams to be prepared to deal with issues as they occur.   In this episode, we will explore the implications of this data and discuss how increased transparency over loss data can help the marine industry manage and minimize risks at sea and in port.

In this episode of the Shoreline Maritime Risk Podcast, we have the pleasure of speaking with Andrew Roberts of RightShip.   Rightship represents itself to be the world's leading Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) focused digital maritime platform, providing expertise in global safety, sustainability, and social responsibility practices.  Consequently, we were confident they would be the right people to speak to about the issue of seafarer abandonment and how the use of data they have collected over the years on this difficult subject area can be put to best use, resulting in zero harm outcomes for those working at sea today.  We were not wrong, the conversation that ensued was both enlightening and disturbing in equal measure. 

In this episode we have the pleasure of speaking with Max Boby's once again, Max leads Hudson Cyber, a division of HudsonAnalytix.   Hudson has 30 years' experience in the US oil spill response space and now see many parallels between oil spill response and the ever-evolving needs for a well structured and supported cyber response plan for vessels entering US waters.   They recently launched their Cyber IQ service which is a play on the role of the QI (Qualified Individual) in the oil spill response scenario and we were eager to hear how this service can help shipowners with their cyber regulatory and operational compliance in the US today.

The depth of analytical insight and provision of ‘actionable intelligence' in the maritime domain has evolved considerably over the last few years. This has been made possible by the availability and accessibility of data sources and the involvement of data scientists and machine learning engineers to make sense of it. In this episode of Shoreline's Maritime Risk Podcast, Shoreline consultant Nick Maddalena is joined by Brendan Moore and Eric Anderson from Synmax, a satellite data analytics company based in Houston and London. We discuss the dramatic evolution of the commercial satellite industry, how those changes have delivered deep insights into shipping activity and the maritime domain as a whole. Brendan Moore has spent almost 18 years working within the Intelligence field, combatting organised crime for the UK government across drugs importation, firearms and cyber. He has taken this expertise in intelligence and tackling criminality into SynMax as CEO. Eric Anderson is Synmax's Chief Technology Officer. Prior to joining Synmax, Eric worked in the energy trading industry for 10 years, most recently as a Quantitative Analyst developing models used for commodities trading. At Synmax he leads a highly skilled team of Data Scientists, Machine Learning Engineers and GIS Engineers from a diverse set of industry backgrounds including financial trading, energy and earth observation.

Every Quarter, the Mission to Seafarers asks crew serving on vessels around the globe how they feel about their lives at sea. Covering their experiences onboard and the things that matter to them, from connectivity to wages. workload to welfare, training, shore leave to health, diet and interactions onboard. The Seafarers Happiness Index gives insight into the way those at sea feel, and the reasons why. It is a vital tool for the industry to know its people, to hear their opinions and what their impacts are on them and also the wider risks faced by shipping. You can find out more at happyatsea.org    In this episode, Shoreline speaks with Steve about his index and how it correlates with ship safety and optimal efficiency.  We discuss what makes seafarers happy and look to the future of always on connectivity and what that might mean from a risk management perspective.    Lest we not forget the disastrous grounding of the MV Wakashio on the Mauritian coral reef in 2020, due to an error in navigation caused when going off track in search of better cell phone coverage, a case like this underlines the importance of managing the issue of shipboard connectivity.  But what are the unintended consequences of this communications prerequisite for a happy shipboard life, and how can an owner and operator manage this new risk to shipboard safety.   Speaker: Steven Jones Steven spent a decade working at sea as navigation officer, and has subsequently worked ashore across the maritime industry, within shipping companies, Government, insurers, publishers and professional bodies. He has also developed solutions for maritime issues, including the Seafarer Happiness Index with The Mission to Seafarers. Steven is Past President of Propeller Club Liverpool, an Associate Fellow of the Nautical Institute, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He holds an MA in International Relations and MSc in Marketing, Communications and Public Relations.

Introduction: In this episode, we focus on the intersection of geopolitical, socioeconomic, and cyber risk.  We ask leading risk experts, how the intersectionality of these three macro risk factors impacts the safe operation of ships at sea today? We discuss the motivations behind cyber-attacks, in particular nation state espionage and ransomware attacks?  And; finally, we gain a better understanding of what is meant by a threat informed cyber risk management strategy and question what this looks like in practice for maritime risk managers.   Speakers: Tom Scriven is a Strategic Consultant at Mandiant based in the UK, specialising in Security Operations and Threat Intelligence advisory services. His first role in IT security was for the Royal Navy as a Communications Technician, before moving to support key UK government departments in security operations. He has significant experience as a trusted advisor to sensitive areas of government, and has consulted for major corporate entities, including in critical national infrastructure sectors, to undertake major cyber security assessments and implement complex cyber security transformation programmes. Tom has worked with large multinational companies to assess their security programmes, providing prioritised recommendations and roadmaps to enhance security posture and effectiveness.    Dr Jamie Collier is a Senior Threat Intelligence Advisor at Mandiant. He is also active within academia as an Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). Before joining Mandiant, he was the Cyber Threat Intelligence Team Lead at Digital Shadows and completed a PhD in Cyber Security at the University of Oxford. Jamie was previously based at MIT as a Cyber Security Fulbright Scholar and has experience working with the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, Oxford Analytica, and PwC India. 

Recently, Shoreline CEO Captain Thomas Brown has noted a spate of MARPOL violation cases in the US and pondered whether much has changed in the intervening 25 years since he was last at sea? In this podcast we will attempt to answer this question with the expert assistance of George Chalos, founding partner of the US maritime the law firm CHALOS & Co. George will hopefully bring us up to date with the ongoing issues as they relate to MARPOL violations in the US. George has spent a lifetime defending the interests of shipowners and seafarers alike when caught up in MARPOL prosecutions state side.  Most investigations and when warranted, subsequent prosecutions, often arise from irregularities in written entries in the oil record book and/or whistleblower reports. Although not squarely within Shoreline's remit as an OPA90 COFR guarantor, we do recognize the connection this difficult subject has with a myriad of important issues including the environment, the law and the human cost of these often difficult and damaging cases.

In the first year that the Bank of England has agreed to include a maritime realistic disaster scenario into its general insurance stress test, the University of Plymouth's Maritime Cyber Threats Research Group was asked to propose an appropriate maritime cyber stress test.   The stress test proposed concerns threat actors gaining access to the bridge systems of commercial seagoing vessels and compromising the control systems.   The intrusion goes undetected for weeks until the threat actor locks the rudder and propulsion system of a container ship causing it to hit a quay in the port of Singapore. A day later, the threat actor causes another container ship to hit a quay and cranes in the port of Los Angeles.   Physical damage is caused to the quay and cranes, there is some loss of cargo and some hull damage. The threat actor threatens further accidents unless a US$50 million ransom is paid by each of the top five cargo shipping companies (as measured by twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) capacity).   As a precautionary measure, many ships stop their journeys and all container port authorities close their ports until the bridge systems of impacted ships are checked, disrupting the maritime supply chain accounting for 90% of world trade in goods. It takes three days to determine which elements of the bridge system have been compromised and two more days to develop a solution.   The motivation of the threat attacker is more political than financial with the ransom demand adding to the confusion.   Our speaker today is Professor Kevin Jones, who, as a Director of the Maritime Cyber Threats Research Group, played an integral part in the submission of this RDS.   The scenario was conceived in line with the University's work as part of the €7 million Cyber-MAR project, which aims to develop greater awareness of the cyber threats facing the global shipping fleet and the most effective ways of countering them. It was then demoed in the Cyber-SHIP Lab, a unique, hardware-based maritime cyber security research and development platform supported by funding from Research England and several industry partners. Speaker - Professor Kevin Jones Kevin is the Executive Dean, Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Plymouth.  As a Director of the Maritime Cyber Threats Research Group, Kevin is currently investigating some of the most pressing technological threats posed to global shipping at all levels from theory through to practice. Under Kevin's leadership the group has published widely on the security challenges facing the maritime sector, developed partnerships with businesses and in 2018 was the only UK representative at the US Coast Guard panels on Maritime Cyber Security. Finally, Kevin is playing an integral part in the recently formed Cyber-MAR network, a €7million European network which aims to enhance cyber preparedness across the maritime sector.   

Bitesize Risk Podcast  Welcome to this the 12th episode, in the series of Shoreline's Maritime Risk podcasts.  Today, your host Captain Thomas Brown has the pleasure of speaking with Antonio “Johnny” Martinelli.  Johnny came to our attention when he appeared in this year's Maritime Cyber Conference, ‘Hack the Port' in Florida.  Johnny is currently the Director of Cybersecurity Training with the Grimm Security Engineering group but is most well-known for his work on the American TSA Master Key leaks between 2014 and 2018. Today we will discuss remote vessel access, the potential consequences of a failure to detect malware embedded within shipboard IT and OT systems and the risk of virus migration from ship to shore and the possible consequences thereof. Speaker Bio Antonio “Johnny” Martinelli is a predominant personality in the Information Security community, most well-known for his work on the American TSA Master Key leaks between 2014 and 2018 and the Venmo public feed scraping exposures in 2018. Currently the Director of Cybersecurity Training with the Grimm Security Engineering group, he has formerly partnered with Australian firm 'Kasada' to defend against the automated abuse of web infrastructure and was the lead consultant on Uptake, Inc's Industrial Cybersecurity Platform. Prior to this, he spent many years in the field as a penetration tester, focusing heavily on both IT and physical security of financial and medical facilities, Security Engineer for a global Fortune 500 retail corporation, and Mainframe auditor and Systems Engineer for several IT asset recovery firms.

In this bitsize episode Shoreline discusses a malware at sea attack with Cyber Owl's CEO – Daniel Ng. Cyber Owl provides maritime cyber security monitoring services, in this episode, we hear how Cyber Owl detected a malware attack on a number of vessels within a shipowner's fleet whilst at sea. Daniel walks us through the process of detection, confinement and neutralization of the malicious code embedded within shipboard IT/OT systems. This type of attack can and does happen to ships at sea, find out how to deal with this modern day risk by listening to the experts. 9 minute listen. 

Episode 10 is brought to you by myself Captain Thomas Brown who will be in conversation with Max Bobys.  Max leads Hudson Cyber, a division of HudsonAnalytix. Hudson are a company Shoreline has a long relationship with, dating back to the early days of OPA 90 and the requirement for QI and OSRO services. In more recent times Shoreline has welcomed Max's input when developing Shoreline's insurance risk transfer solutions namely ICCI and MCI. Max is hugely experience in the sphere of cybersecurity acting in an advisory capacity to many national in international agencies whilst also authoring many publications on the subject.

In this episode, we check in with AcrisureRe's Cyber Practice Leader Tom Quy. Tom provides a thorough explanation of the current cyber insurance market dynamics, how the cyber threat is evolving and what his means for buyers of maritime cyber insurance.

Host: Captain Thomas Brown CEO Shoreline Guest: Anthony Hess CEO Asceris Intel's legendary co-founder and former CEO Andy Grove put it best when he said, “Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure. Only the paranoid will survive.” When a shipping company measures success by its historical ability to avoid a cyber-attack, it becomes complacent and ever more prone to attack. Only by being paranoid and meticulous in its continual cyber risk assessment, from which flows the implementation of its cyber security and risk transfer strategies will a company become more cyber resilient, thereby surviving and prospering in this internet age. In Episode 8 of Shoreline's series of Maritime Risk Podcasts, Shoreline's CEO Captain Thomas Brown speaks to Anthony Hess, the CEO and co-founder of cyber response company Asceris, to address the issues of cyber claims quantification and analysis. When you become the victim of a successful cyber-attack what does that look like, what are the likely financial losses your company may have to assume and how do you recover and get back to business? We also discuss the value of Maritime Cyber Insurance as an integral part of your company's overall cyber risk management strategy and discuss the ancillary benefits of the insurance cover that go beyond financial risk transfer. If you are struggling to understand and quantify the size of your cyber risk exposure we can highly recommend listening to this very insightful discussion to hear the thoughts of a cyber risk professional who has responded to 100's if not 1,000's of cyber-attacks both large and small.

Shoreline's Cyber consultant Nick Taylor we will be speaking to Julian Clark.  Julian is the Global Senior Partner at Ince and Co. and also heads up Ince Maritime's new cyber initiative. The time to speak about the legal and insurance issues as they relate to maritime cyber risk has never felt more prescient than it does today. With the exclusion of silent cyber risk from property and liability policies of insurance, ship owners are forced to look for ways in which they can plug gaps in cover, and; from a regulatory perspective, with the new IMO 2021 Cyber requirements now in play, there is a greater focus on the need for clear company policies on cyber security both at sea and ashore. More prominence is being given to the delineation of Cyber risk and liability when drafting legal contracts.  Cyber risk is now center stage when agreeing charter party terms and / or entering into contracts for service or supply with third party vendors. In today's podcast we will delve deeper into these modern day problems and discuss the size and shape of the issues at hand, whilst also focusing on how shipowners may mitigate and transfer these cyber related risks out of their companies.

The shipping and commodities industries have found themselves at the forefront of sanctions developments in recent months.   As the United States continues its campaign of sanctions against Iran, North Korea, Syria and Venezuela, the Office of Foreign Assets Control or ‘OFAC', is increasing the pressure on the maritime and commodities industries to require sanctions compliance. My name is Nick Maddalena, a consultant for Shoreline, the specialist insurer that provides pioneering maritime insurance solutions on a global scale for US trading and beyond. In this, the latest in the series of Shoreline's Maritime Risk Podcasts, I discuss with two leading experts the maritime sanctions ‘seascape' and the risks and repercussions to shipowners of non-compliance. Mike Salthouse is a member of the senior leadership team at North Group and a qualified lawyer. He has led industry engagement on the topic of sanctions with the US, EU and UK governments since 2011. Ron Crean leads global energy, maritime and insurance at Windward. His 27 year maritime career spans shipbroking, liner shipping, tanker chartering and ports and he was one of the pioneers of using AIS data to track commercial shipping starting AIS Live in 2004.

Facilitation payments have long been the scourge of the port visit for the deep-sea master. The outstretched hand, the muffled request; that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach when you realise you have no option but to facilitate the permission needed for ship operations to progress smoothly and unencumbered.   It's the asymmetry of the risk versus remedy equation that has taxed the conscience of many a ship's master, with the risk being, delay to the vessel's operating schedule and the remedy being a carton of cigarettes and a bottle of whiskey. The inequality of this simple financial equation has allowed this petty crime to become more and more pervasive over time.     For too long now the ship's Master has balanced on the horns of this rather annoying dilemma, being dammed if he does and dammed if he doesn't. On the one hand, he has his legal and contractual obligations which should prevent such a transaction taking place, and on the other, to fail to do so may lead to delay and the loss of many thousands of dollars for his owners and the loss of his livelihood should he fail to meet the swingeing time pressures that accompany charterers orders. In this podcast, Shoreline's CEO – Captain Thomas Brown review's this very real maritime risk and discusses ways in which the industry is fighting back and changing through the collective action of the many and the expertise of the few who have the vision to create a better industry outcome.   We will look at the prevention and the cure.   Prevention being the mandate of the Maritime Anti-Corruption, which has made great strides over recent years to curb these shady practices, offering support and advice to shipowners and their seagoing masters to prevent the practice of bribery at sea and; the cure will be discussed with our colleagues at Control Risks who have responded to many a cry of help from their shipowner and insurance clients when caught in this crosshairs of this criminal activity.    About the Contributors   Cecilia Müller Torbrand MACN Executive Director Cecilia leads MACN. She was one of the front drivers for its establishment in 2011, and has served as chair of the network and as collective action lead in the MACN Steering committee.   Vivek Menon Head of Collective Action and Partnerships (EMEA) Vivek leads MACN's collective action programs within the regions of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He is primarily responsible for collective action projects in West Africa, with a focus on Nigeria.   John Bray Control Risks – Director John Bray is a risk consultant and policy specialist with more than 30 years' experience in Asia, Europe and Africa. His particular areas of expertise include anti-corruption strategies for the private sector; business and human rights; and private sector policy issues in conflict-affected areas. Asia Pacific │ Social Risk and Impact Assessment│ Political & Economic Risk Consulting │ Corruption Risk Assessment & Analysis

Just before midnight on October 3rd 2020, the ten year old, Maltese flagged, Greek owned, Aframax tanker - MV Syra suffered an explosion and damage to her forward section, whilst taking on crude at the Bir Ali crude single buoy mooring system, located in central Yemeni waters. The explosion was thought to have been caused by a sea mine or floating improvised explosive device.  Today Shoreline's Captain Thomas Brown was joined by Cormac McGarry and Ashley Halabi of Control Risks to analyze the news of this attack on one of Shoreline's client vessels. News reports have further suggested that significant pollution may have been caused by the explosion whilst a number of floating objects reported in the vicinity of the tanker were reported to have subsequently exploded. This is a worrying development in maritime security for vessels navigating and operating within the Gulf of Aden and Yemeni waters. Shoreline acts as COFR guarantor for much of the petroleum cargo shipped from this part of the world to the US and hopes this podcast will provide useful insight and information to their clients operating in this particularly volatile part of the world. Cormac McGarry - Senior Analyst, Maritime - Control Risks  Cormac is part of a specialised analytical team, spread across the world, dedicated to global, international and supranational issues where his primary responsibility is to manage Control Risks' maritime intelligence and security services.    Ashley Halabi - Researcher, Middle East and North Africa - Control Risks Ashley contributes to analysis of political, security and operational risks in the Middle East and North Africa and leads on Lebanon and Yemen. She writes analysis on political and security developments and their implications for commercial activities. She also contributes to bespoke consulting reports for clients in a range of sectors and jurisdictions. Ashley monitors and logs incidents related to civil unrest, terrorism and war in the Middle East and North Africa.    

According to the UN Refugee Agency, some 40,000 people have attempted to cross from North Africa to Europe in 2020 alone, the size of this humanitarian crisis is further compounded when we learn that 400 of these migrants are reported to have lost their lives when making this dangerous journey.    The legal complexities of migrant rescue involves the application of international conventions and multi-jurisdictional and agency issues, all of which does nothing to alleviate the ship master's moral and legal obligation to respond to the plight of migrants when in distress at sea. It's in the DNA of those who work at sea, to save life at sea and in so doing, they often expose themselves, their vessels and their employers to safety, legal, security and commercial issues that can take time and money to resolve. In this podcast we will look at the legal and operational complexities of seaborne migrant rescue and we will point our listeners in the right direction to access freely available information, advice and support when caught in the crosshairs of the perhaps inevitable political standoff which may ensue when seeking a safe place to disembark those that you have saved at sea. Today Shoreline has the pleasure of speaking to two leading industry experts on this issue, namely; David Hammond – David is the CEO and founder of the Human Rights at Sea Organisation, HRAS is a not for profit, advocacy charity, that strives to deliver social change through legal and policy development to ensure human rights apply equally to those at sea as they do to those on land, and; Dr. Victoria Mitchell – Victoria is part of Control Risks' dedicated maritime security team, providing global analytical coverage of maritime security issues. Victoria is an expert in the law of the sea and holds a PhD that addresses this and maritime security cooperation.

The volume of data available in the world is growing exponentially; according to recent predictions by International Data Corporation, the amount of data created worldwide in 2025 will be ten times what it was in 2017.  Increased digitalisation of the shipping industry is an inevitability. The consumption of data analytics to gain deeper maritime domain awareness is on the increase. Indeed Shoreline is a consumer of data analytics derived from AIS positional data. They work with leading data analytics firm Windward, to establish accurate reporting on Shoreline's insured fleet for every entry, exit and duration of stay within the United States Exclusive Economic Zone. Windward's artificial intelligence-driven platform processes millions of data points to establish accurate vessel tracking in pre-defined areas or ‘polygons'. Shoreline uses data analytics to re-engineer their internal administrative procedures to create significant efficiencies for the business and their client base. In this podcast Nick Maddalena, a consultant for Shoreline, talks to Ron Crean VP of Commercial at Windward about digitalisation and the shipping industry and whether Covid-19 has accelerated our adoption of all things digital. Nick Maddalena is an independent consultant working with both insurers and insurtechs to create strategies for digitalisation and distribution respectively. He has spent the majority of his 30 year career working within corporate and private insurance companies entering into new product environments and opening distribution channels in a variety of geographic areas. Immediately prior to founding Quilla Consultancy, Nick was Head of Insurance for a leading data analytics firm. Ron Crean is VP of Commercial at Windward. Ron qualified as a Chartered Shipbroker and has experience developing business in 30+ countries and leading global teams mainly in maritime and energy related businesses including shipowners, ports and particularly maritime technology/information businesses.

On the 4th of July, 2019, the Iranian tanker Grace One was detained by UK forces in Gibraltar on suspicion of EU sanction violations and on the 19th of July a British flag tanker, the Stena Impero was detained by Iran's Islamic revolutionary guard Corps. Track forward to August 2020, and we find Iranian forces once again, boarding another vessel this time a Liberian flag tanker, the MV Wila.  Are these events connected and should shipowners be concerned with the apparent escalation of hostilities in the Persian Gulf. We'll aim to answer these questions with Cormac McGarry senior analyst at Control Risks and Jonathan Wood lead analyst for North America and deputy global research director for Control risks.