Securing the future of ports: the Oulu initiative
The Port of Oulu.
The Port of Oulu, Finland’s key northern port, is spearheading a €12.8 million international development project to strengthen the security and resilience of critical cyber-physical systems. The project, a collaboration between VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and 20 partners, including technology providers and universities, addresses the complex security challenges inherent in port operations.
TEXT: SANDER HULSMAN IMAGE: PORT OF OULU
Ports, as vital nodes in global transport networks, require robust security measures. This initiative aims to develop a secure situational awareness concept to increase trust and build autonomous resilience within port systems. This will enable faster recovery from incidents and mitigate the risks associated with digital and physical attacks.
‘In today’s volatile world, secure situational awareness is paramount,’ says Juhani Latvakoski, Principal Scientist and project lead at VTT. ‘Ensuring digital trust and security for critical cyber-physical systems, coupled with enhanced situational awareness, is key to building resilience. The port environment, with its diverse and complex operations, provides an ideal testing ground.’
Significant importance
As a leader in port digitisation, the Port of Oulu plays a crucial role by actively researching and implementing the latest technological solutions. The port’s responsibility for safe and efficient traffic flow makes real-time situation and condition data essential for the entire port ecosystem. With 90% of Finland’s exports passing through its ports, the project is of significant importance to Northern Finland’s supply chains.
‘Unified situational overview, particularly for managing safety and critical incidents’
‘We are developing a digital twin of the port area, using various sensors, detectors, and radars,’ explains Soila Riutta, Development Manager at the Port of Oulu. ‘Innovative tracking and identification systems for port traffic are also a priority. While new technologies offer opportunities, they often operate in silos. This project aims to create a unified situational overview, particularly for managing safety and critical incidents.’
Secure situational awareness
The ambitious goal of the project is to research and develop solutions for secure situational awareness applicable to various critical cyber-physical systems, beyond just ports. ‘Unexpected events, such as accidents or cyberattacks, can severely impact critical systems,’ says Latvakoski. ‘These events can lead to blocked access, data breaches, compromised physical safety, and resource depletion, potentially causing fatalities, financial losses, and even societal instability. Our project aims to develop secure situational awareness solutions that are crucial for logistics, mobility, energy, and security systems operating in ports and other critical infrastructures.’
Participating companies will research, develop, and pilot their products and solutions within the port environment, testing interoperability and targeting export-ready offerings. The project will foster collaboration and support international growth for these companies.
Benefit all stakeholders
‘This project is vital for developing the port’s security and resilience,’ concludes Riutta. ‘We are excited to collaborate with leading technology providers to create innovative solutions that will benefit all stakeholders.’
‘Crucial cross-sectoral role, practical application needs, and a real-world testing environment’
The Sa4CPS project, under the ITEA framework, facilitates international cooperation in software innovation and digital transformation. Led by VTT, the consortium comprises 20 organisations from five countries, including 15 companies and four research organisations, with the Port of Oulu providing a crucial cross-sectoral role, practical application needs, and a real-world testing environment.
