UK-Belgium Maritime Innovation Day 2025

SkeyDrone is at the forefront of developing cutting-edge software and services allowing drone operators, authorities and companies with critical assets to seamlessly integrate, monitor and manage drones in the most safe, efficient and secure way. SkeyDrone’s team boasts over 100 years of combined experience in UAV operations, air traffic control and programming. Playing a pivotal role in the implementation of U-space in Belgium, SkeyDrone is on track to make history by becoming one of the first U-space service providers in Europe, solidifying its role as an industry leader shaping the future of uncrewed aerial vehicle technology.

At Kraken Robotics, our mission is to transform subsea intelligence, empowering our clients to overcome the ocean’s greatest challenges – safely, efficiently, and sustainably. We develop world-class underwater sensing, power solutions, and robotic systems that enable safer, more efficient, and data-driven decision-making for industries operating in complex marine environments. We enable our clients to explore, monitor, and protect the world’s oceans with unmatched clarity and efficiency.

Piet started his career in the 1990s at one of the most successful startups in the Benelux - Tele Atlas, a producer of digital geographic data. That company was acquired by TomTom in 2008.

Between 2011 and 2014, he led a consultancy and was closely involved with startups in the energy sector. In 2014, he began working at the Port of Antwerp. There, he became one of the driving forces behind the digital and innovation transition. Based on a well-founded strategy with a pragmatic approach to implementing concrete innovation projects, he made the 'Port of the Future' tangible and led the development of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges as an open innovation platform.

Piet added upon his nomination as CEO of Blue Cluster: 'The coast and sea offer enormous potential to provide innovative and sustainable solutions for major challenges such as climate change, energy transition, security, or strengthening biodiversity, but also to transform the existing socio-economic fabric of the coastal zone into a sustainable future. The Blue Cluster is ideally positioned to help realize these strong ambitions in the coming years. The strong foundations in place and the top team, along with my extensive experience in bringing innovative solutions to market, establishing collaborations between innovative players, and knowledge of the maritime and port sector, will lead to further acceleration in the development of sustainable solutions.'

As digitalisation grows, with the acceleration of automation, AI, cloud computing and quantum, “timing resilience” must be built into critical infrastructure to improve operational efficiency, tackle cyber breaches and to improve compliance and data governance. Timing infrastructure is not something organisations think about as it is assumed “the time” is always right and is often hidden behind network architecture.

Hoptroff is a timing technology company. Hoptroff Smart Time ® is an agonistic solution that helps simplify transaction monitoring, event logging, compliance which is essential to meet increasing regulatory requirements, forensic investigations and ultimately improves operational resilience both On-Prem and the Cloud. With the creation of a global timing network that connects customers to the best clocks in the world via satellites and terrestrial time, it means customers can operate in satellite denied environments. The solution provides time feeds as well as clock monitoring, alerting and compliance software. Customers get a fully resilient managed traceable time service and have assurance their business clocks are correct.

Armour Communications is a cyber security software organisation that provide trusted communications solutions for securing voice, instant messaging and video conferencing for sharing sensitive operational information. Our solutions are widely used in the UK and across other EU countries in sectors that include: Defence, Military (all services) - Maritime, Government and National Security. We mitigate against imposter and deepfake based cyber attacks by using special crypto protocols to ensure the authentication and control of users and data within the central management capability. A person can’t be invited into a group or community accidentally or deliberately and can be removed from the system by an administrator.

The Armour Secure Communications Platform is ideally suited for naval and maritime use with the option for on-premises, standalone, sovereign implementations that can be securely federated. Flexible, easy-to-use and with a familiar user experience, Armour® is approved for use at, NATO RESTRICTED (and UNCLASSIFIED), UK OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE and used in higher assurance levels. Our platform enables its use in the following use cases:

• The ability to work in an air-gapped environment utilising private mobile and wi-fi networks for complete network isolation.

• Federated and/or Community based control of communication between separate entities. Separate on-premises instances and architecture can be set up for individual locations, groups or divisions which can be securely federated with each other if required, giving a highly secure, scalable architecture.

• Securely record voice, video and instant messaging if required for secure archive and audit of communications at a later date.

True Data Sovereignty + Secure by Design + Proven Higher Assurance Solutions + Cross Domain + Federation + Interoperability + Total Control of Users & Data + Full Audit – Record Keeping.

Founded in 2013 in Brussels , Capyx is a team of highly skilled consultants aiming to provide their clients with top class digital services. Their wide-range of profiles make them a solid partner in all IT implementation or maintenance projects within the maritime industry. Capyx’s Cybersecurity Services 360° provides a comprehensive, holistic approach to protecting your organization’s digital assets wherever they are at sails in the world. The Capyx services cover every aspect of cybersecurity, ensuring that the client is safeguarded against threats from all angles. From prevention and detection to response and recovery, Capyx delivers end-to-end security solutions tailored to meet the clients’ specific needs.

MAHI believes that unmanned vessels will play an important role in achieving a transition to clean offshore energy and sustainably sourced seafood and protecting maritime regions of our world’s seas and oceans. The Belgian company is on a mission to unlock the potential of unmanned vessels to protect offshore energy assets. They realize this ambition by delivering state-of-the-art, easy-to-integrate situational awareness, collision avoidance and communication modules to our customers.

Marlinks offers condition based-monitoring services for subsea power cables with the aim of reducing failure rates of subsea transmission systems, thereby maintaining transmission efficiency. We provide active decision support through a software as a service format for the O&M phase of subsea assets. Offering a strong service line that can monitor the depth of burial of subsea power cables through DTS and a product service line using DAS that covers a wide range of monitoring aspects, including asset security monitoring, electrical fault identification and localization, CPS health monitoring including abrasion monitoring, free span detection through to strain sensing for fatigue monitoring. Both service lines monitor the transmission system through fibre optic packages embedded in composite submarine power cables, The Marlinks service doesn’t require the use of offshore vessels or subsea intervention for the operations monitoring; thereby reducing risks, costs and carbon footprint.

Our multilingual and multi-disciplinary team connects land and sea by bridging gaps in understanding and by making connections that matter for those involved in all facets of the maritime industry. Ports, as the gateways between land and sea, are of primary importance to our team at Caerulea. Whether you are facing a complex safety or security related issue within your port, or a much more vast or interconnected one that goes beyond your area alone and touches multiple ports, authorities, governmental services, marine spatial planning, and ship owners: we are there to guide you to an effective strategy and outcome. Our team's expertise spans over an array of disciplines and backgrounds, including master mariners, civil and marine engineers, port experts, jurists and lawyers. This allows us to provide a holistic approach to each challenge, in turn enabling innovative and resilient solutions. Our vision is to inspire those on land and sea to protect and thrive in the maritime industry, and through this to achieve a more unified and resilient global economy.

Ms Anne Sherriff has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium in August 2025. Ms Sherriff previously served at the British Embassy in Paris as interim Deputy Trade Commissioner for Europe where she was responsible for supporting British business, trade and investment interests in France. Before that, Ms. Sherriff was stationed in Dublin as Economic and Global Issues Counsellor where she led the Embassy on economic, EU and global issues. Ms. Sherriff has worked extensively on European issues, including as Deputy Director for Western Europe and on the EU’s relations with the Middle East at the FCDO Headquarters in London. Ms. Sherriff spent 4 years working as Deputy Director in the FCDO’s Human Resources Directorate, focusing on international HR issues. Ms. Sherriff started her career with the Department of Trade and Industry and spent a year on secondment to the private sector. Ms. Sherriff has an MBA from the Open University and a BA in History from Stirling University.

Quantexa provides powerful decision intelligence that enhances port and coastal security. By connecting siloed data sources such as AIS, licensing records, port access logs, and third-party intelligence, Quantexa’s platform uncovers hidden relationships, flags anomalous vessel behaviour, and enables real-time validation of shipping licenses. This capability supports both civilian and defence stakeholders in securing maritime zones, detecting potential threats, and ensuring compliance in increasingly complex maritime environments.

LiveLink Aerospace delivers advanced airspace intelligence systems designed to protect maritime infrastructure, naval operations, and coastal critical entities. At the heart of our offering is a passive RF detection platform (PDAR), deployed by the Royal Navy and tested with international partners for persistent drone awareness in congested littoral and port environments. Our modular systems integrate into fixed and portable deployments, providing scalable protection for ports, vessels, and offshore platforms. • In the context of the EU Critical Entities Resilience Directive, LiveLink supports port and base defense through rapid-deploy sensors, fusion of RF, optical, and thermal feeds, and integration into site-wide C2 systems.

We also support future maritime airspace management. Our technology validates low-level UAS activity—contributing to U-Space readiness and enabling safer integration of drones into port logistics. This includes on-turbine sensing, air risk modeling, and live data sharing with authorities.

Designed for interoperability, powered by open standards (TAK, SAPIENT, MQTT), and backed by operational use cases in defense and offshore energy, LiveLink brings precision, discretion, and maritime-grade resilience to coastal airspace monitoring.

Templar Executives delivers Cyber Security and Information Assurance solutions for a digital world. Templar Executives provide comprehensive solutions that enhance resilience and drive strategic transformations for Governments, Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) and private sector organisations.

Cybernitics and Goldilock deliver layered protection for maritime operators, combining AIdriven threat detection with Layer-1 physical network isolation. Whether protecting fleet operations, shipboard OT systems, or automated port terminals, our joint platform delivers unmatched resilience, compliance, and peace of mind.

Leonardo UK is a leading defence technology provider with a strong presence in the naval domain, delivering advanced, integrated solutions to support both surface and sub-surface operations. Its naval portfolio includes secure and reliable communications systems designed for complex maritime environments, ensuring operational effectiveness under demanding conditions. In the evolving counter-uncrewed aerial systems (C-UAS) space, Leonardo offers scalable, modular solutions for the detection, tracking, identification, and mitigation of aerial threats systems that are already in operational service. These capabilities are complemented by Leonardo’s robust cybersecurity offering, which provides mission assurance and digital resilience across critical defence infrastructure, tailored for high-threat, safety-critical environments.

CyberPrism provides a wide portfolio of services and solutions addressing cyber security services for Operational Technology (OT) environments, including Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and maritime environments. We see significant vulnerability to cyber-attack in industrial networks across several Sectors, with State-level security and economic risks, as well as business and Health & Safety consequences. The full implications of this are only just beginning to be felt, and Industry has neither the culture nor the human resources to address them at present.

We see a future where external regulation and a company's internal governance operate in harmony to promote not just compliance, but genuine protection. Compliance as a consequence of effective operations rather than as a goal in itself. We see a future where cyber security is culturally embedded in the way that Health and Safety is now. We see a future with humans and technology operating in balance to execute real control over OT security, data integrity and process optimisation, making these benefits both feasible and affordable. We aim to combine our technical expertise, knowledge of critical national infrastructure and military experience to take the energy sector beyond compliance.

We have a full portfolio of services and solutions, including OT-focussed cyber security consultancy services, GRC tracking platforms for compliance monitoring, UTM devices, TSCM offerings, maritime pentesting etc

The Department for Transport is the security regulator responsible for the security of ports in the UK plus UK-flagged shipping and provides an advisory role to the UK’s Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. The DfT ensures the UK balances commercial interests with safety, security and environmental considerations while promoting a successful, safe, and sustainable UK shipping and ports sector. DfT enforces safety regulation and policy through the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and implements international safety and security legislation to ensure efficient delivery and modernisation of marine aids to navigation. To provide an overview of the UK Government Priorities on Maritime Security, we are thrilled to welcome Mr. Miles Gidlow, Head of Domestic and Europe Port & Ship Security from the Maritime Security Division at DFT, who will expand on the UK Government priorities in protecting the maritime environment against maritime threat and risk. Miles has developed a breadth of expertise managing both shipping and ports policy teams for the Department. His responsibilities include working with the UK port sector to ensure appropriate ISPS security measures are in place and engaging European maritime authorities on shared security objectives. As the Departmental focal point for maritime counter terrorism, Miles remains committed to supporting ship and port operators in understanding CT risk, identifying effective mitigations and response options.