The Port of Oulu at the Center of a €12.8 Million International Project to Enhance Critical System Security
The Port of Oulu is leading a €12.8 million international research and development project aimed at improving the security and situational awareness of critical systems, both physical and digital. Led by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the three-year initiative brings together 20 partners, including 15 companies and five research institutions from five countries.
The Need for Stronger Security in Ports
Ports are critical hubs in transport networks, making their security a major concern. Due to their complex ecosystems, maintaining situational awareness and overall security is particularly demanding. The Port of Oulu has already positioned itself at the forefront of port digitalization, actively researching and applying new technological solutions to improve safety and efficiency.
According to a press release from the Port of Oulu, the project focuses on developing a secure situational awareness model to enhance trust and security by strengthening system resilience. The goal is to reduce risks related to both digital and physical attacks and ensure that the port can recover quickly from disruptions.
“Today, secure situational awareness is more important than ever, as we face increasing threats. We must build resilience by securing critical physical and digital systems and by creating a clear and reliable real-time overview. The port serves as an excellent test environment, as it functions like a miniature society with diverse and complex activities,” explains Juhani Latvakoski, Lead Research Scientist at VTT and project leader.
Funding and Collaboration
The project is funded by the participating companies, foreign research funders, and Business Finland. It involves 15 companies from various industries and five research institutions from five countries. Since 90% of Finland’s exports pass through ports, this project is also crucial for Northern Finland’s supply chains.
“We are developing a digital twin for the port using various sensors, detectors, and radars. Additionally, new monitoring and identification systems for port traffic are of great interest. While emerging technologies offer new opportunities, they currently function as separate applications. Our goal is to create a comprehensive situational picture to improve security and incident management,” says Soila Riutta, Development Manager at the Port of Oulu.
Ambitious Goals and Real-World Impact
This project aims to develop new situational awareness solutions that can be applied in various critical environments, not just in ports.
“Accidents, cyberattacks, and other unexpected disruptions challenge the resilience of critical systems. In the worst case, access to essential functions may be lost, critical data could fall into the wrong hands, or physical security may be compromised. These risks could have severe consequences, including threats to public safety and disruptions to key infrastructure. That’s why we are developing secure situational awareness solutions, which are particularly important for logistics, mobility, energy, and security systems in ports,” says Juhani Latvakoski from VTT.
Companies involved in the project are developing and testing their own solutions, ensuring compatibility with other systems in a real-world environment.
The project also aims to identify export-ready solutions, promote collaboration between companies, and support international business growth.
“This project is an important step in enhancing port security and resilience. It is exciting to develop innovative solutions that benefit all stakeholders in collaboration with leading technology providers,” says Soila Riutta.
Sa4CPS: A Global Partnership for Digital Security
The project, called Sa4CPS, is part of the ITEA framework, which facilitates international cooperation in software innovation and digital transformation. The project is led by VTT and involves 20 organizations from five countries, including:
- 15 companies: ADC, ADLC, Alpata, CRL, Digitalmente, Enerim, Erarge, F-Secure, Inovasyon, IMA, Modirum, Natlink, Otokar, Polar, and Vintecc
- 4 research institutions: Charles University, ISEP, Sirris, and VTT
- The Port of Oulu, which plays a key role in real-world application and testing
The Port of Oulu, in collaboration with VTT and international partners, is at the forefront of strengthening critical system security and resilience. Through this €12.8 million project, the initiative aims to enhance situational awareness, improve response to digital and physical threats, and develop innovative security solutions for ports and other critical environments. With strong collaboration and cutting-edge technology, the project sets the stage for a safer and more resilient future in global logistics and infrastructure security.