Marlink, a global leader in managed services for business-critical digital solutions, has launched a new OT Security offering for maritime and land-based industries. Combining professional services with OT-native technology solutions, the offering helps organisations protect the safety, continuity and resilience of their operational technology (OT) environments.

OT controls physical processes across a wide range of industries: vessel navigation, propulsion and cargo handling at sea; energy production, water treatment and industrial automation on land; and building management, HVAC and physical access control systems in data centres and enterprise facilities. Unlike conventional IT security, which focuses primarily on protecting data, OT security must also account for physical safety and process continuity, because a compromise can have direct real-world consequences for equipment, people and the environment.

As OT systems become more connected, remote access and physical connections such as removable devices expose equipment that was originally designed for isolation to a wider range of cyber risks. This convergence of IT and OT networks has become a defining challenge for industrial cybersecurity across sectors, as equipment with long service lives is brought into increasingly connected environments.

Marlink's new OT Security offering addresses this growing exposure through a combination of professional services and technology solutions that help organisations identify their OT assets, understand how those assets communicate, and locate vulnerabilities. Asset discovery and visibility are widely regarded as a foundational first step in OT security programmes, since organisations cannot protect equipment they cannot see. This capability is increasingly important because OT cyberattacks can disrupt critical operations, threatening safety, the environment and business continuity.

Alongside these operational risks, customers must also navigate sector-specific regulatory requirements, which have multiplied as governments and industry bodies tighten expectations for critical infrastructure and shipping cybersecurity. The OT Security solution helps to address IACS UR E26 for ships, NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards for the North American bulk power system, the EU's NIS2 Directive, and ISA/IEC 62443 standards for industrial automation and control systems. Marlink's own onboard systems and equipment are also developed in accordance with IACS UR E27.

Marlink's operational experience illustrates how these risks can emerge across different environments. In late 2025, the company detected and contained an early-stage cyber threat in a tanker's cargo-control network, helping to avert potential operational disruption and environmental risk. Similar cyber risks are present in land-based and remote operations, where increasingly connected IT and OT environments can create new vulnerabilities and demand the same focus on early detection, containment and operational continuity.

At the core of the offering, OT technology solutions enabled by the Marlink Possibility Platform provide passive monitoring to identify connected assets and unusual activity, while safeguards help contain threats and protect essential processes. Passive monitoring approaches are commonly used in OT settings because they avoid adding load or interruption risk to systems that control live physical processes. These solutions are complemented by professional services, 24/7 security monitoring and expert oversight, ensuring that responses reflect operational safety and continuity.

"Organisations need to understand what is connected to their OT environment, where their greatest risks lie and how to strengthen protection without compromising critical operations," said Julien Nabonne, Head of OT Security Product, Marlink. "Our new OT Security solution brings together specialist expertise, professional services and technology enabled by the Marlink Possibility Platform, helping customers to progress from initial assessment and risk prioritisation, through to protection, monitoring and incident response."

With more than 150 cybersecurity professionals, Marlink provides customers with one accountable partner across connectivity, networks, cloud and IT. This expertise is reinforced by multi-region Security Operations Centres (SOCs) providing 24/7 follow-the-sun monitoring for thousands of sites and remote assets. With this launch, the company's proven cybersecurity capabilities are now available for customer OT environments, helping organisations strengthen cyber resilience and maintain safe, reliable operations.

Source: Marlink