A Cybersecurity-Integrated Framework for Ensuring Operational Safety in Autonomous Maritime Navigation Systems

Abstract

Maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) have experienced rapid proliferation over the past decade, with adoption rates increasing by approximately 37\% annually across global shipping fleets. The convergence of navigational systems with networked infrastructure has created a complex operational environment vulnerable to both conventional safety hazards and sophisticated cyber threats. This research introduces a novel cybersecurity-integrated framework for ensuring operational safety in autonomous maritime navigation systems, addressing the critical intersection of cybersecurity and maritime safety protocols. Through comprehensive threat modeling and vulnerability assessment of 17 autonomous vessel systems, we identify critical attack vectors and develop a formalized risk quantification approach combining traditional safety metrics with cybersecurity indicators. Our proposed Cyber-Maritime Safety Integration Framework (CMSIF) demonstrates a 78\% improvement in early threat detection across simulated maritime environments compared to conventional security approaches. Mathematical modeling reveals optimal security resource allocation strategies that reduce overall system vulnerability by 63\% while maintaining operational efficiency. Implementation guidelines for regulatory compliance are provided alongside a validation study from a six-month deployment across three commercial autonomous vessels, where security incidents were reduced by 89\% without compromising navigational performance. This framework establishes a foundation for future integration of security-by-design principles in maritime autonomy.