Admin To Spend USD20bn On Port Infra & Marine Cybersecurity

The White House has published a fact sheet outlining its plans to bolster security at US ports with a USD20bn package of loans and grants over the next five years. The executive order will come "alongside a series of additional actions that will strengthen maritime cybersecurity, fortify our supply chains and strengthen the United States industrial base." The fact sheet claims the investment intends to "secure the country’s supply chains, and strengthen the cybersecurity of our nation’s critical infrastructure".

• As part of the executive action, part of the USD20bn will be used to "bring domestic onshore manufacturing capacity back to America to provide safe, secure cranes to U.S. ports" as well as provide the Coastguard with the ability to isssue a "Maritime Security Directive on cyber risk management actions for ship-to-shore cranes manufactured by the People’s Republic of China located at U.S. Commercial Strategic Seaports."
• The significant investment would appear to come as part of the US' efforts to 'de-risk' its supply chains from involvement with Chinese companies or Chinese-made parts, in this instance by phasing out the use of Chinese-made cranes at strategically important US ports.
• Speaking at the Munich Security Conference at the weekend, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi claimed that "Those who attempt to shut China out in the name of de-risking will make a historical mistake.” He called the global economy "a big ocean that cannot be cut into isolated lakes"