Hornblower News

Seaward Services, Inc., a provider of maritime solutions and part of the global Hornblower Group, announced that its vessel the M/V Seaward Endeavor is available for extended international operations following its approval by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) for expanded authority to operate in international waters. The Seaward Endeavor is an integral component of Seaward’s growing fleet of Multi-Purpose Offshore Supply Vessels. Currently stationed on the US East Coast, the Seaward Endeavor is now positioned to support operations beyond domestic waters…

Boston Harbor City Cruises, a part of the global Hornblower Group, announced its selection by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to continue as the operator of the region’s premier ferry services connecting communities across Boston and the Massachusetts Metro Region.This selection follows a comprehensive public proposal and evaluation process in which Boston Harbor City Cruises presented a future-focused vision for building on the ferry system’s success as a reliable and convenient resource for both commuters and visitors.

St. Johns Ship Building, a Palatka, Florida-based Jones Act-compliant shipyard owned by Americraft Marine, announced the delivery of the WINDEA Reliance, the third and final vessel in a series of 30-meter aluminum Crew Transfer Vessels (CTVs) built for WINDEA CTV LLC, a partnership between MidOcean Wind and Hornblower Wind.This delivery completes a three-vessel build program that includes the WINDEA Courageous, WINDEA Enterprise, and now WINDEA Reliance—all constructed at St. Johns Ship Building to support offshore wind farm development and operations along the U.S. East Coast.

Seaward Services, Inc. (SSI), a subsidiary of Hornblower Group, announced its selection by the Maine State Ferry Service (MSFS) and the Maine State Department of Transportation for a new 5-year contract to provide supplementary marine crew services to the MSFS fleet of vessels.MSFS provides essential, year-round mainland transportation services to the island communities of Maine. Through this partnership, Seaward will support and supplement the existing MSFS crew across six different ferry routes that connect Maine’s island communities.

Seaward Services, Inc. (SSI), a subsidiary of Hornblower Group, has been awarded a new five-year contract by the U.S. Navy for the continued operation and maintenance of the USNS Guam. This contract, secured through a competitive bidding process, will take effect in March 2025.Seaward has been the primary operator of the USNS Guam since 2013, overseeing its delivery from Norfolk, Virginia, to its current homeport in Okinawa, Japan, in 2017. The 107-meter high-speed troop transport vessel plays a vital role in the Western Pacific…

Hornblower Group is excited to announce the appointment of Len Wolin as President of City Experiences, effective January 20. In his new role, Wolin will lead the strategic direction of City Experiences, which encompasses Hornblower Group’s diverse portfolio of water- and land-based experience companies. Wolin will be responsible for driving the unified strategy across the City Cruises, Walks, and Devour Tours brands, with a sharp focus on optimizing operations, enhancing financial performance…

The domestic passenger vessel answers the call for cleaner and more efficient platforms. It is truly an electric time to be a part of this niche industry.In the shadow of a rapidly changing political landscape, the domestic passenger ferry sector is nevertheless seeing an increasing number of newbuild vessel orders. Older fleet vessels, some approaching financial and operational obsolescence – also environmentally undesirable on a waterfront that more than ever demands cleaner carbon signatures – are going the way of the dinosaur.

Corvus Energy has been selected as the supplier of Energy Storage Systems (ESS) for Statue City Cruises’ ferries servicing the iconic Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island routes in New York Harbor.Corvus Energy ESS will be integrated aboard Statue City Cruises’ current fleet of nine ferries and will reduce fuel consumption and emissions along the New York/New Jersey waterfront.Since 2008, Statue City Cruises, which is part of Hornblower’s City Experiences portfolio, has been the…

There’s plenty to go around for everyone, no matter it comes from.I will admit that attending the 2024 Workboat Show in the Big Easy just ten days after settling into the MarineNews Editor’s chair (for this, the second time around) had my full attention. The event typically evokes the specter of drinking from the proverbial fire hose in routine times, but attending and digesting all it has to offer, right out of the gate, makes the task just little bit edgier. Ultimately, last week’s trade show exuded terrific energy, from exhibitors to attendees alike.

A new report published by DNV has revealed that the majority (61%) of maritime professionals believe the industry should accept increased cyber risk from digitalization if it enables innovation and new technologies.The sector’s appetite to take on emerging risks arising from digital transformation is notably higher than other critical infrastructure industries including energy, manufacturing and healthcare, according to DNV.The industry’s increasing appetite for cyber risk comes at a time when it must manage a growing volume of vulnerabilities.Namely…

Malicious cyber activity in the first six months in the maritime sector increased significantly compared to the previous year, highlighting the importance of introducing proactive security measures to stay ahead of ever evolving tactics of cyber criminals.Marlink recently released the latest global maritime cyber threat report produced by its Security Operations Center (SOC), which registered 23,400 malware detections and 178 ransomware detections in the first half of 2024.Firewall events…

During the first half of the year, the threat landscape in the maritime environment has continued to evolve and surprise, compared to what was recorded in 2023.Marlink’s Security Operations Center (SOC) has reported that monitoring up to 1,800 vessels, adding visibility into events from endpoint protection solutions (EDR), firewalls, and e-mail security, along with the context provided by intelligence capabilities, has allowed it to gain deeper insight into what actions to take…

Infostealers, a type of malware designed to steal sensitive information from an infected system, has marked significant rise in the first half of 2024 in the maritime domain, Marlink’s Security Operations Center (SOC) has reported.The whole process involves six steps – starting from initial infection to the exploitation of acquired data, which can have serious consequences for the maritime industry, which relies heavily on interconnected systems and digital platforms.The initial…

Some of the key strategies to strengthen maritime cyber security include vigilance and proactive measures, timely incident reporting, and continuous improvement of security defenses, according to Marlink’s Security Operations Center (SOC) cyber security threats report.Vigilance and proactive measures are essential. Regular training, strong e-mail security, and advanced detection systems play a vital role in reducing the risk of phishing, spam, and other malicious activitiesAnother crucial aspect of improving cyber security is timely incident response.

In the first half of 2024, the Threat Intelligence team within Marlink’s Security Operations Centre has observed several activities carried out by malicious actors targeting the maritime industry.These activities include phishing, where malicious actors sending fraudulent e-mails or messages try to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information like passwords or financial details.Phishing attack trends include HTM/HTML documents with embedded links and QR codes to credential harvesting login landing pages hosted on difficult-to-block infrastructure…

Botnets are networks of hijacked computer devices used to carry out various scams and cyber attacks, under control of a single attacking party. According to Marlink’s Security Operations Center (SOC) cyber security threats report, the volume of botnet activity increased substantially in maritime sector in the first half of 2024, with new botnets leveraging more advanced evasion techniques.Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enhanced botnets began to surface, showcasing more sophisticated automation capabilities.According to Marlink…

During the first half of this year, the number of cyber security high alerts remained stable compared to those handled in 2023, according to Marlink’s Security Operations Center (SOC) cyber security threats report.However, medium and low alerts saw a significant rise, increasing from 100,000 in January to 270,000 in April, compared to an average of 75,000 in 2023.This surge was mitigated in May and June thanks to optimization efforts in detection and enrichment processes.If you are in New Orleans on November 13…

Hornblower Group has announced that Liz Crisafi will join the company as the Senior Vice President of Marketing, effective November 1.Reporting to CEO Mike Flaskey, Crisafi will lead global marketing activities, overseeing brand, communications, revenue optimization, digital and data strategy across Hornblower’s portfolio of water- and land-based experiences.Spanning a 100-year history, Hornblower Group’s portfolio of international offerings includes water-based experiences (dining and sightseeing cruises)…

In the first six months, Initial Access tactics were the most prevalent cyber security threat in maritime domain, accounting for 48% of the 204,763 incidents, primarily involving phishing fraud and spam abusive content.According to Marlink’s Security Operations Center (SOC) on cyber security threats report, the Command & Control (C2) followed closely at 36%, driven largely by the execution of malicious files and links.Execution and Defence Evasion tactics, often seen through intrusion attempts…

What drives cyber attackers and what are their main motives for malicious online activities? Who are the most prominent attackers in the maritime industry and how do they do it?According to the report from Marlink’s Security Operations Center on cyber security threats, cyber attackers targeting the maritime industry had a few main motives.Two of the main are operational disruption and financial fraud, where the attackers aim to disrupt or damage critical systems, causing significant interruptions to business operations…

Ransomware remained one of the primary threats to maritime targets in the first half of 2024, as it significantly disrupts operations and causes considerable economic damage, according to the to the report from Marlink’s Security Operations Center (SOC) on cyber security threats.Attacks have paralyzed critical systems, delayed shipments, and compromised logistics, resulting in operational downtime and costly ransom demands. This combination of operational impact and financial…

In the first half of 2024, the volume of cybersecurity incidents involving infostealers has increased significantly, and maritime victims have been no exception.Infostealers are a type of malware designed to steal sensitive information from an infected system, such as login credentials, financial data, browser history, and other personal or corporate information.The maritime industry relies heavily on interconnected systems and digital platforms to manage logistics, shipping routes, and vessel operations.

Reverse proxy phishing, a more sophisticated version of classic phishing cyberattack, could significantly impact maritime sectors operations, from the disruption of shipping logistics to the manipulation of sensitive communication systems, resulting in delays, loss of reputation, and costly recoveries.According to the report from Marlink’s Security Operations Center (SOC) on cyber security threats, a significant portion of the threats neutralized by the SOC have continued to follow the most common attack vector seen since 2022: phishing.However…