Towards Cybersecure Maritime Supply Chains in Latin America and the Caribbean

Abstract

Maritime supply chains are a highly dynamic environment in which multiple public and private stakeholders interact by exchanging digital data through various systems and technologies in cyberspace. The maritime industry is immersed in a digital transformation process that is evolving to be highly dependent on cyber-physical systems composed of information and operational technologies. In the Latin American and Caribbean region, there are multiple challenges in cybersecurity of the maritime industry in general, as countries present different maturity levels in their cybersecurity capabilities, particularly in protecting critical infrastructures, including ports, terminals and intermodal connections. This chapter describes cyberthreats, vulnerabilities, risks and recent cyberattacks in maritime supply chain operations in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), discusses ongoing supranational initiatives towards the development of cybersecurity capabilities for maritime supply chains in the region, analyzes advances of LAC countries in developing cybersecurity capabilities and adopting best practices for maritime supply chain operations, discusses the region's prospects for development of cybersecurity policy and strategy, and provides recommendations for decision-makers and technical staff in charge of maritime supply chain operations.