Improved Modeling for the Economic Impact of Shipping Port Operations and Disruptions 

Dr. Gabriel Weaver and collaborators have developed a cyber/physical disruption model for shipping port operations that allows port authorities to anticipate, prepare and avoid damages from various different disruptive events, both malicious and natural. This model has been improved with the integration of expansive data sets to ensure model reliability and accuracy. The invention is a software to measure economic impacts of cyber/physical disruptions to port operations. It can be used to bolster port security by identifying points of weakness as well as improve training on how to respond to crises that may occur. It includes cyber disruptions which are currently neglected in port security efforts as evidenced by recent malware attacks. It also estimates economic impact for the port and the end stakeholders. This will be of special interest to port insurers, commanders, the US Coast Guard and other security agencies as well as the shipping companies that depend on smooth port logistics to move their freight efficiently.