When Marine Technology, Ocean Development and the Law of the Sea addresses maritime cybersecurity, GNSS risks and autonomous vessels
The collective volume Marine Technology, Ocean Development and the Law of the Sea (2026), available as open access, devotes significant attention to digital issues, with numerous occurrences of the term “cyber” and several chapters more broadly dedicated to the security of maritime systems.
GNSS, jamming and spoofing: a clearly documented risk
The chapter on maritime cybersecurity provides a detailed description of the threats affecting GNSS systems. It recalls that associated attacks (spoofing, jamming) can lead to a loss of reliable positioning and to navigation errors, directly impacting maritime safety. It also emphasizes that users must “plan” (or at least anticipate!) “potential GPS disruptions, authenticate the reliability of received data and consider alternative positioning sources” (cyber chapter, pp. 278–280).
Among the measures discussed are the use of inertial systems, adaptive antennas, receiver filtering techniques and crew training for GNSS-denied scenarios.
“Cyberworthiness”: an extension of the concept of seaworthiness
One of the most interesting contributions concerns the evolution of the legal concept of seaworthiness.
In the context of autonomous vessels, the book explicitly introduces the notion of “cyberworthiness”, defined as the ability of a vessel to withstand cyber risks and ensure the integrity of its digital systems.
The text states that “two new categories of seaworthiness are proposed (…) communication worthiness and cyberworthiness”, the latter assessing “the efficiency and quality of measures taken” to address cyber threats (chapter on autonomous vessels, pp. 363–365).
This development reflects a significant shift: seaworthiness is no longer limited to the physical condition of a vessel, but now includes its digital systems and their resilience.
Autonomous vessels and remotely operated systems
The same chapter examines the development of autonomous and remotely operated vessels, as well as their legal implications. It recalls, if needed, that these systems rely heavily on digital architectures, algorithms, remote communications and sensors, which makes them particularly exposed to cyber risks. Issues of responsibility, control and safety are presented as major challenges for international law.
SMART cables and subsea digital infrastructure
The book also addresses subsea cables, in particular “SMART cables” (for Scientific Monitoring and Reliable Telecommunications).
These infrastructures combine data transmission with environmental sensing capabilities. The text highlights their dual nature, both scientific and strategic, and underlines the legal tensions between their status as telecommunications cables and as marine scientific research instruments (SMART cables chapter, pp. 415–420).
This dual nature raises questions regarding sovereignty, regulation and access to data.
A law of the sea shaped by technological constraints
The volume as a whole converges towards a clear conclusion: digital technologies — GNSS, autonomous systems and data infrastructures — are profoundly reshaping the balance of the law of the sea.
A legal framework historically centred on ships, territories and resources must now integrate cyberspace and its intangible, distributed, cross-cutting, multi-layered systems, inherently exposed to cyber threats.
Quite a few fundamental law concepts to revisit in light of digital transformation.