Brest, Brussels, Rome, 22 January 2026
End of 2025, the European Commission officially signed a grant agreement with a consortium including France Cyber Maritime, FEPORT and the Italian Maritime Cluster / Federazione del Mare following their successful application to the call for proposals on the SAFEDIGIMAR project.
The project, which has been awarded as part of the Digital Europe programme under deployment action DIGITAL-ECCC-2024-DEPLOY-CYBER-07-CYBERSEC-02, will promote the implementation of NIS 2 related measures and will develop tailor-made solutions to strengthen the cybersecurity posture of the ecosystem. The project will monitor risks and threats impacting the sector, disseminate good practices while assisting victims of cyberattacks from the maritime community.
The expertise and networks of the three renowned national and EU-based sectoral non-profit organisations have been recognised and will constitute a real asset for the upcoming work on the SAFEDIGIMAR project. France Cyber Maritime (FCM), created in 2020, aims to provide tailored cybersecurity solutions that protect maritime and port operators against cyber threats and to develop a network of expertise in maritime cybersecurity. FCM will take the lead in the development of solutions to be implemented by industry. FEPORT, representing private port companies and terminals, and the Italian Maritime Cluster / Federazione del Mare, will contribute to the communication and dissemination of best practices.
The three organizations, which are fully committed to supporting the maritime and port sectors in enhancing their cybersecurity and resilience, will now officially launch the project. The project partners share the conviction that the award of this project is timely since, as the maritime and port sectors have undergone a rapid and unprecedented digital transformation that enhanced performance and competitiveness, this has simultaneously made them more vulnerable to cyberattacks.
The geopolitical context underscores the maritime ecosystem’s crucial role in safeguarding the Union’s security and resilience, for example, by ensuring access to critical resources, as well as supporting military mobility and preparedness. Yet, the sector can only fulfill this role if that companies and the critical infrastructure they operate are adequately protected against cyber threats.
Furthermore, while the organizations are united in their backing of the NIS 2 Directive, they also recognise the need to provide cost-effective solutions and assistance to SMEs. This support is essential to ensure effective implementation that enhances cybersecurity and resilience across industry.
“Since 2020 France Cyber Maritime’s mission is to provide concrete responses to cybersecurity challenges by operating the Maritime CERT (computer emergency response team) dedicated to the maritime, port and river sectors, while supporting the cybersecurity industry in developing solutions tailored to the maritime world.
However, although our home port is France, the answer to these challenges lies not in isolation but in cooperation.
With SAFEDIGIMAR, we are collectively creating, on a European scale, the conditions for our resilience in line with European regulations that strengthen digital trust, such as the NIS2 Directive” says Mr. Christian Cevaer, Director France Cyber Maritime
“Over the past years, FEPORT members have embarked on a rapid digitization journey enhancing the efficiency and performance of their operations, while reducing emission intensity. The use of digitization in interactions with Administrations as well as with the different modes of transport has also increased the exposure of the port and maritime sector to cyber threats. We therefore need to strengthen the resistance to cyber attacks that may jeopardise the security of supply chains” comments Ms. Lamia Kerdjoudj, Secretary General of FEPORT
“As the Italian maritime cluster continues to embrace the opportunities of digital transformation, ensuring the resilience of our infrastructure against evolving cyber risks is becoming an increasingly important shared priority at both national and European levels. The Italian Maritime Cluster / Federazione del Mare is fully committed to the SAFEDIGIMAR project, particularly by strongly promoting the communication and dissemination efforts within the maritime sector.
Our goal is to ensure that essential information on the NIS2 Directive and tailor-made cybersecurity solutions reach all stakeholders, from policy makers to SMEs. By fostering a culture of awareness and sharing best practices across our network, we ensure that the sea remains not only a driver of economic growth but also a secure and resilient space for all European citizens” concludes Ms. Laurence Martin, Secretary General, Federazione del Mare”
For more information, please contact:
Ms. Lamia Kerdjoudj, Secretary General of FEPORT
Mr. Brahim Ramli. Communication & Policy Advisor
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