The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has endorsed a global strategy on maritime digitalisation, accompanied by mandatory cybersecurity rules for maritime single windows, aimed at strengthening safety, efficiency, and operational resilience.
Adopted by the IMO Facilitation Committee (FAL) during its 50th session in London (23–27 March 2026), the strategy positions digitalisation as a central IMO policy, promoting interoperability, data standardisation, and governance across governments, shipping operators, and seafarers.
It focuses on streamlining seafarer credential verification, passenger identification, and ship certification, while supporting safer navigation and improved environmental performance.
The strategy will undergo review by IMO’s Legal, Maritime Safety, and Marine Environment Committees ahead of submission to the 35th IMO Assembly in 2027.
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In parallel, the FAL Committee approved amendments to the FAL Convention requiring Contracting Governments to introduce cybersecurity safeguards for maritime single windows (MSWs), the digital platforms that manage ship-to-authority information exchanges.
These measures are scheduled for adoption at FAL 51 in 2027, with enforcement from 1 January 2029.
The Committee also endorsed updates to Advance Passenger and Crew Information (API) and Booking and Reservation Information (BRI) systems, enhancing crew and passenger processing, border control, and operational efficiency across maritime operations.
For more information:
International Maritime Organization – https://www.imo.org/
