The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is charting a new course for global shipping, aiming for a fully digitally integrated maritime sector. At its 49th Facilitation Committee (FAL 49) session in March 2025, the IMO unveiled a comprehensive Strategy on Maritime Digitalization, with full adoption targeted by the end of 2027.
This strategy aims to harness emerging technologies to enhance efficiency, safety, and sustainability across global shipping operations. It builds on key milestones, including:
- The mandatory implementation of Maritime Single Windows (MSWs)
- New guidelines for electronic certificates
- An updated IMO Compendium to standardize data formats across shipping systems
As the maritime industry navigates this shift, robust cybersecurity isn’t just important—it’s absolutely critical. MarPoint’s UNI Virtual Machine Manager and Governor Cybersecurity Suite are built to support this transformation, helping fleets deploy secure, regulation-ready digital infrastructure at scale.
2027 Digital Strategy: MarPoint's Ahead of the Curve
The IMO’s strategy will define how technologies are applied across all maritime domains. MarPoint is already delivering:
- Virtualized IT environments with Uni VM Vessel Virtualization Server Solution
- IMO/IACS-compliant cybersecurity, powered by Governor
- Remote access and monitoring for vessels with tight schedules or limited onboard IT support
Maritime Single Window (MSW) Integration
Revised MSW guidelines will bring smarter data verification and significantly reduce administrative burdens.
MarPoint’s Evo3 Router, integrated with Starlink/5G, ensures secure, high-availability WAN for seamless port clearance and documentation exchange.
IMO Compendium: Data, Standardized
The revised IMO Compendium on Facilitation and Electronic Business sets a reference model for semantic and format consistency across maritime IT systems—critical for digital corridors, MSWs, and port call optimization.
MarPoint makes this possible with:
- Sensor/data collection tools tailored to IMO datasets
- Application filtering and secure routing
- Virtual hosting of apps aligned with evolving data standards
Electronic Certificates – Secure by Design
FAL 49 officially endorsed electronic certificates, defining them as digitally issued documents authenticated by electronic signatures.
UNI and Governor ensure:
- Isolated VMs for certificate platforms
- Role-based access, encryption, and threat detection
- Audit trails for inspection and authority checks
- Compliance is no longer just about paperwork – it’s about protecting the systems that issue and validate it.
Seafarers Remain “Key Workers” – And Deserve Better Tools
FAL 49 reaffirmed the essential status of seafarers and port workers. A proposed UN joint working group may soon bolster their protections.
MarPoint supports seafarers with:
- Reliable connectivity for welfare platforms and communication
- The Seafarers Companion: a solution designed to manage screen time, promote digital well-being, and empower crews with more control over their online experience at sea
Additional Regulatory Developments Worth Watching
FAL 49 also pushed forward updates across other key areas. These include:
- Progress on Advance Passenger and Crew Information (API) and Booking and Reservation Information (BRI)
- Amendments to support medical care and vaccinations for crews during global health emergencies
- Continued recognition of seafarers as key workers
- Updated training guidelines for mooring personnel
- Ongoing development of drug smuggling prevention protocols
- A revised MASS (Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships) roadmap
- And updated rules of procedure for IMO bodies
These developments show that maritime transformation goes beyond digitalization—it includes human safety, security, automation, and future-readiness. MarPoint is ready to help clients adapt at every layer of that change.
Final Thoughts:
FAL 49 wasn’t just another meeting. It marked a turning point.By 2027, fully digital, compliant, and cyber-secure operations will be the standard—not the exception.
With MarPoint, you’re not just meeting the bar. You’re raising it.
Let’s future-proof your fleet. Together.
