The rise of the artificial intelligence in maritime security

The shipping industry is continually expanding and advances in technology develop more rapidly, therefore companies, Company Security Officers, Port Facility Security Officers and Ship Security Officers need to be constantly updated regarding the best security protocols to protect their vessels, crew members and the respective port facilities.

Maritime security is a term that raises awareness of new challenges and rallies support for confronting them. That is one of the reasons why maritime security is one of the latest buzzwords. Major actors have started to include maritime security in their mandate or reframe their work in such terms.

Statistically, in spite of the reduction of maritime traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic, security threats at sea increased and incidents of piracy and armed robbery rose by nearly 20%. While there are a number of factors responsible for this including geopolitical events, the emphasis of vessels and management were focused more on containing outbreaks of COVID-19 particularly the impact it could have on its ability to enter some ports of call. Crew fatigue and complacency affect their ability to perform security procedures diligently and may also compromise the integrity of the vessel’s security.

Maritime Security Threats

The sea is becoming a more attractive place for global criminals. Apart from piracy, threats to the safety of shipping also include smuggling, stowaways, cybercriminals and human trafficking and the vastness of the oceans makes it difficult to regulate. Criminals take advantage of this.

Maritime security is such a broad concept and Port Security encompasses such threats as:

• Terrorist attacks
• Armed Robbery
• Smuggling
• Stowaways and illegal immigration
• Environmental disasters 
• Escorting ships in conflicted waters

Maritime security has been one of the most significant concerns for the international maritime community.

On average, one hundred ships are lost every year, despite the international focus on maritime safety and there continue to be high numbers of fatalities and injuries compared to land-based industries.

Since the marine sector is so vast and the massive amount of goods entering ports is difficult to screen, precautions to minimize malicious exploitation are critical.

One way forward is for shipping companies to improve in this area is to invest in employee training for both security and safety. 

There is also an increased need for collaborative efforts involving stakeholders across the maritime spectrum, including shipping companies, port operators, insurers, and regulators.

Why are maritime security courses so important?

Through supervision, inspection, audits and proactive procedures, the maritime industry does its best to minimize threats to maritime security. Importantly, as the maritime industry evolves and the marine sector continues to grow, training, increased vigilance, continuous review of practices and keeping up with available technology are key areas to minimize the risks.

Maritime safety training is offered to numerous organisations, particularly from the military and institutional communities: navy, coast guard, police, special forces.

Since the 911 terrorist attacks in the US, maritime security immediately became a global concern. Serious incidents or breaches of security can have a devasting impact on the maritime sector. For example, in the cruise industry, a serious incident could undermine the confidence of the passengers in any cruise ship belonging to any cruise line and devastate the cruise business as well as do irreparable reputational branding damage.

Neural Guard – Our vision

Neural Guard was established on the strong foundations and market leadership of the Renful Group combining cutting-edge technology with Renful’s 25 years of experience in X-ray screening software and security expertise.

The company has a global reach in over 80 countries promising a vast amount of diverse data and on the ground security screening knowledge. We provide a range of complete and comprehensive solutions to meet our clients’ needs by applying the group’s diverse product line.

We look forward to collaborating with you, to pursue our goal of a safer and more secure world!

The EyeFox solution

EyeFox detects and identifies hidden threats in baggage, carry-on bags, stores and cargo. Our solution employs deep learning computer vision in the x-ray screening process for automatic threat detection. Additionally, it creates a centralised image processing network whose value increases exponentially as it develops, learns and improves with data aggregation.

Machine learning plays a key role in the AI technology we use, whereas a computer system needs to be fed substantial amounts of data, which it then uses to perform a specific task.

EyeFox provides unrelenting and focused analysis, rapidly distinguishing threats from other items in real-time. This minimizes physical contact with both bag contents and individuals; improves checkpoint efficiency and improves the flow of people while providing much greater screening integrity.