Government minister sees University excellence in maritime innovation

A UK Government Minister has been given a demonstration of the ��Ʒ��Բ�’s world-leading expertise in maritime cyber security and clean maritime innovation.

Robert Courts MP, the Under-Secretary of State for Transport, toured the £3.2million Cyber-SHIP Lab which has recently opened in the Marine Building.

He then opened the , held at our waterfront Marine Station, an event designed to advance the region’s charge towards a net zero ocean economy.

The University engagements were part of a day-long visit to ��Ʒ��Բ�, where Mr Courts met officials and businesses working to grow the city’s clean maritime sector.

The Cyber-SHIP Lab is a unique platform, supported by a grant from Research England, which is designed to enhance understanding of maritime systems’ cyber vulnerabilities and deliver world-leading cyber resilience knowledge, tools and training.

Experts in cyber security and information systems will then assess them for weaknesses, and identify the human and technological changes needed to make them secure for the future.

The Clean Maritime Summit was attended by leading figures from the South West’s marine and maritime industries.

It highlighted existing innovations and initiatives that are already enabling the shift to cleaner ports, harbours and vessels, and identified the present and potential future challenges and opportunities facing the sector and how these might be addressed.

Organised by Maritime UK South West, a consortium in which the University is a partner, the summit was held in partnership with the , a first of its kind event for boat owners wishing to make the switch to greener options, and prospective owners wanting to start their boating journey in the most environmentally friendly way possible.

Robert Courts MP said:

“As we emerge from the pandemic it’s important that our environmental commitments remain at the core of everything we do, helping us build back better and greener. ��Ʒ��Բ� has long been at the forefront of green maritime and there is no better place to open the first ever Clean Maritime Summit, bringing together leaders from across the South West to drive forward the shift to cleaner ports, harbours and ships.”