The maritime sector is more connected than ever. Modern vessels now rely on networked navigation systems, satellite communications, cargo platforms, digital weather routing and constant ship-to-shore data exchange. That transformation has improved efficiency and visibility, but it has also widened the cyber attack surface across the maritime domain.
That is the central warning in Dryad Global’s latest Metis Insights report, Maritime Cyber Risk in 2026. The analysis shows that cyber threats at sea are no longer confined to shore-based IT systems. They are increasingly intersecting with operational technology, vessel systems and critical maritime infrastructure.
For shipowners, operators, managers and insurers, this matters because the consequences now go far beyond data loss or administrative disruption. Cyber incidents can affect navigation, communications, cargo handling, port operations and wider commercial continuity.
One of the clearest trends highlighted in the report is the rise in GPS interference and AIS spoofing across strategically important regions including the Red Sea, Baltic Sea, South China Sea, Caribbean and wider Middle East. In some cases, vessels reportedly appeared thousands of kilometres from their true location, creating navigational confusion and increasing the risk of collision, grounding and reporting failures.
The report also points to a growing convergence between IT and OT risk. Malware and vulnerabilities are no longer just a shoreside concern. They increasingly affect systems linked to vessels, cargo infrastructure and port operations, creating a more connected and more fragile threat picture.
This is what makes maritime cyber risk more serious in 2026. It is no longer a siloed technical problem. It is a business continuity issue, a safety issue and, in some cases, a strategic security issue.
Dryad Global’s analysis suggests the maritime cyber environment is becoming more complex, more operational and, at times, more strategic in intent. The report highlights the overlap between cyber activity, geopolitical competition and hybrid tactics, including cases where cyber-derived intelligence may support physical targeting or wider disruption.
It also shows how shipping’s digital dependence is growing faster than its protective frameworks. Many vessels now operate interconnected systems that were never originally designed to function as unified, externally connected networks. Legacy equipment remains common, and cyber resilience across the sector is still uneven.
In practice, that means a cyber incident can now amplify traditional maritime risks rather than sit separately from them. A navigation disruption in a congested waterway, a malware event affecting cargo infrastructure or compromised communications during an onboard emergency can quickly become operationally significant.
The report identifies several reasons why the maritime industry still struggles to keep pace.
First, there is a knowledge gap. Mariners are trained extensively in navigation, engineering and safety, but cyber expertise onboard is still limited. Second, there is economic pressure, with many operators reluctant to prioritise upgrades that may cause downtime. Third, there is regulatory fragmentation, with inconsistent implementation and enforcement across jurisdictions.
Together, those factors have created a position where vessels are more digital than ever, but not always adequately protected.
The key takeaway is simple: cyber risk at sea is now a multiplier.
It can intensify safety risks, disrupt operations, delay cargo movements and complicate decision-making in already volatile environments. That is why maritime cyber intelligence needs to be part of the wider operational picture, not treated as a separate compliance exercise.
As Dryad Global Technical Director Erik Speyer notes, the maritime sector is at an inflection point. Digitalisation has transformed vessels and ports into interconnected technological systems, but cybersecurity has not always kept pace.
To understand the emerging patterns in maritime cyber activity, the operational consequences of GPS interference and AIS spoofing, the growing IT/OT threat picture, and what this means for maritime risk management in 2026, download the full Metis Insights: Maritime Cyber Risk in 2026 PDF: