Israel welcomes upcoming launch of joint maritime cybersecurity centre in Cyprus

The coming launch of a joint cybersecurity centre in Cyprus represents “a milestone” in reinforcing cyber resilience in the maritime sector in the Mediterranean, the Israeli government noted on Thursday.

In a statement, Israel’s National Cyber Directorate referred to the planned operation of the Maritime Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence (MCCE) in Cyprus.

The centre, to be inaugurated later this year, will operate under the auspices of Cyprus’ Digital Security Authority, in close coordination with the Israel National Cyber Directorate and the Greek National Cybersecurity Authority, aiming to become a premier force in maritime cyber resilience in the Eastern Mediterranean.

“The Center, to be established and operated out of Nicosia, Cyprus, represents a strategic milestone in reinforcing the national and regional cyber resilience of the maritime sector across all three nations and the broader Mediterranean region,” the statement read.

“This trilateral collaboration is the implementation of a shared vision established by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and President Nikos Christodoulides during the Jerusalem Summit in December 2025.”

According to the statement, the centre will focus its operations on four pillars: threat intelligence, monitoring and real-time information sharing regarding maritime-specific cyber threats; capacity building, training programmes and advanced Cyber Range exercises simulating complex attacks on critical maritime infrastructure, ports and vessels; policy and regulation formulating international standards; and innovation and research, bridging the gap between Deep-Tech startups and maritime industry leaders to foster breakthrough technological solutions.

“The Center is expected to serve as a significant growth engine for the technological ecosystems of the three nations. It will facilitate collaboration between academia, industry, and government bodies in R&D, while making cutting-edge defense solutions accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises within the maritime sector.

“In doing so, the MarCCE will not only protect existing assets but also establish the Mediterranean as a global hub for maritime technology innovation.”