BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 22. Maritime
organizations face significant operational technology (OT)
cybersecurity challenges due to limited onboard expertise, legacy
systems and unreliable connectivity, according to Honeywell
Technologies’ 2026 OT Cybersecurity Benchmark Report.
Some 40% of maritime respondents identified limited onboard
cybersecurity expertise as a major challenge, while the same
percentage pointed to legacy onboard systems. Another 37% cited
intermittent or limited connectivity.
These constraints coincide with a high level of reported cyber
incidents. Some 87% of maritime respondents said they had
experienced a significant OT cybersecurity incident over the past
12 months, compared with 73% across the full survey sample.
The potential consequences also extend beyond operational
disruption. Some 83% of maritime respondents said a significant OT
cybersecurity incident could have a severe or high impact on safety
or physical equipment, compared with 64% across all sectors
surveyed.
“Maritime operations place critical OT systems at sea, where
response resources may be limited,” the report said, noting that
vessels and offshore assets can be located far from shore and that
the expertise required to diagnose or restore critical systems may
not be available onboard.
The sector also lags the broader sample in visibility and
recovery readiness. Only 17% of maritime respondents described
their organizations as fully recovery-ready, while 47% reported
having a complete or mostly complete asset inventory, compared with
80% across the full sample.
Honeywell said stronger OT cybersecurity maturity in the
maritime sector depends on organizations being able to maintain
visibility, provide support and recover critical systems even when
connectivity is limited and specialized expertise is not
immediately available.
