The 2025 Security Symposium kicked off in Savannah on Wednesday with opening remarks from CDR Nathaniel Robinson, Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Savannah, followed by Mr. Charles Blackmore, the Coast Guard Cybersecurity Policy expert at Coast Guard Headquarters. Together they gave us a great perspective on local and national level security risks, including cybersecurity challenges. In the afternoon, John Halinski, of SRI Group, provided a fascinating, if troubling, account of emerging drone threats.

Thursday began with Captain Andy Meyers, Chief of the Coast Guard’s Office of Port and Facility Compliance, which has primary responsibility for Maritime Transportation Security Act requirements for port facilities across the country. And before lunch, Mr. Billy Gouveia, CEO & Founder Surefire Cyber helped us understand ransomware and similar cyber threats.

Some key takeaways from all these speakers:

Partnerships, cooperation, and information sharing can build a strong community. Participate in your Area Maritime Security Committee, get to know your fellow FSOs and the Captain of the Port.

The Coast Guard provides significant help to FSOs and others to address cyber threats. These include port cybersecurity specialists at every Coast Guard Sector, and the Coast Guard’s Cyber Protection Teams, which are available to help facility operators assess vulnerabilities to their networks, and to provide help in the event of an attack.

Drone capabilities and threats are growing, and while government and industry are struggling to create a legal and effective way of managing this risk, companies can reduce their risk by training personnel to be alert for drones, establish relationships with local FAA and other authorities, and make plans on where and how counter drone systems could be deployed in the future.

The Coast Guard is working on new guidance to help the industry implement the recently published cybersecurity regulations. They do not have an anticipated date, but it is clear they are working hard on that guidance. Captain Meyers took several questions from the audience which he and his crew can use as they finalize that guidance.

While waiting for that guidance, Billy Gouveia gave us some great advice on how to protect ourselves from ransomware and other threats: Use long passwords and multi-factor authentication, make backups of critical data, and test them regularly. Beware of phishing and other scams, use strong endpoint detection and response protocols, and develop – and rigorously exercise – a cybersecurity response plan.

We will be reaching back to Captain Meyers on a few issues he didn’t have time to cover. We’ll get his response and any other information back to you all soon.

Always a highpoint at the Facility Security Symposium is the Awards Reception, when we recognize exceptional facility security performance. Here are some highlights:

Niels Veenema (l) of Tradepoint Terminals and Chuck Santerre (r) of Maryland Port Administration receive Maritime Security Excellence awards.

Eric Soler of Red Hook Terminals receives the Most Improved Facility award.

Symposium attendees observing the Facility Security awards.