- A digital twin of Oulu Port will be developed using sensors, detectors, and radars.
- The separation of security applications is a challenge, requiring an integrated system.
- Cyber and physical threats can disrupt critical logistics and infrastructure.
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, along with Oulu Port and 20 other partners, has launched a three-year research project to reinforce secure situational awareness in critical cyber-physical systems. To better enhance security and resiliency in ports, the complexity of port operations and the strategic importance of ports in transportation networks make up the grounds for this initiative, reports VTT.
Project Scope and Funding
The research and development project has a total budget of €12.8 million. This was funded by participating organisations, foreign public research funders, and Business Finland. The project will develop a secure situational awareness concept that integrates autonomous resilience into port operations. It ensures rapid recovery from incidents while mitigating digital and physical security risks.
The Importance of Secure Situational Awareness
Juhani Latvakoski, Principal Scientist and Project Lead at VTT, emphasized the necessity of situational awareness in the current security landscape: “In today’s world, where hostile events are constantly unfolding, the emphasis on secure situational awareness has never been greater. Ensuring digital trust and security for the protection of critical cyber-physical systems, along with fostering situational awareness, appears to be an effective way to build resilience. The port serves as an excellent testing ground, mirroring a miniature society with its diverse and complex operations.”
Oulu Port’s Role in Advancing Digital Security
The Port of Oulu has been a leader in digitizing port operations and actively implementing advanced security technologies. Real-time situation and condition data from the port area is crucial for ensuring the safety and efficiency of port activities. Given that 90% of Finland’s exports pass through ports, this project is vital for securing supply chains in Northern Finland.
Soila Riutta, Development Manager at Oulu Port, highlighted the role of innovative technologies in port security: “We are developing a digital twin of the port area using various sensors, detectors, and radars. Additionally, innovative tracking and identification systems for port area traffic are of particular interest. New technologies provide opportunities, but a current challenge is that they primarily operate as separate applications. In this project, our goal is to create a comprehensive situational overview, particularly for managing safety and critical incidents.”
Addressing Threats to Critical Cyber-Physical Systems
The project aims to enhance security in cyber-physical systems, particularly in critical areas such as logistics, mobility, energy, and security. According to Latvakoski, “Unexpected events such as accidents or physical and virtual attacks can threaten the resilience of critical systems. These may result in blocked access to essential functions and resources, misuse of critical data, compromised physical safety, and lack of vital resources, which may cause fatalities, bankruptcies, and even societal instability. Therefore, the project aims to develop secure situational awareness solutions, which are very important for critical logistics, mobility, energy, and security systems operating, e.g., in ports.”
Industry Collaboration and Innovation
The participating companies will conduct research and develop new technologies, piloting them within the port ecosystem. The objective is to create export-ready security solutions, fostering collaboration and supporting international business expansion.
Soila Riutta underscored the significance of these efforts: “The project is an important part of developing the port’s security and resilience. We are excited to collaborate with leading technology providers to develop innovative solutions that will benefit all stakeholders.”
Sa4CPS: An International Research Initiative
The Sa4CPS project, operating under the ITEA framework, enables global collaboration to drive software innovation and digital transformation. The consortium, led by VTT, includes 20 organizations from five countries, comprising 15 technology companies, four research organizations, and the Port of Oulu. The Port of Oulu plays a crucial role in testing and applying these solutions with eight concrete use cases, making it a key sectoral hub for advancing cyber-physical security.
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Source: VTT
