The Role of the Digital Transformation in the Fight against Crime at Sea

Crime control at the sea involves public activities to create a modern security system in seaports, at the territorial sea and the adjacent zone throughout the sea corridors, as well as in the open sea on sea routes with intensive shipping.Aim. Impact assessment of digital transformation on maritime crime control.Tasks. Firstly, to characterize the impact of digital technologies on the nature of pirate attacks and other maritime offenses, which are actual threats to the maritime infrastructure. Secondly, to analyze the impact of modern measures to combat maritime crime on the economy of seaports, shipping companies and other maritime business entities. Thirdly, to demonstrate the role of the seaport administration and private military companies in the fight against offenses at sea.Methods. The study is carried out by formal legal and comparative legal methodology using a review-analytical approach.Results. Data analysis shows that the administrations of seaports are interested in optimizing security costs by creating a convenient digital management system for the coastal infrastructure. Security systems and logistics solutions depend on the effectiveness of digital technologies implemented in the interests of ensuring the safety of navigation. The Convention for the Safety of Human Life at Sea (SOLAS-74/88), supplemented by the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) in 2004, provides for a universal maritime security system, however, the implementation of these standards in a number of regions of the World Ocean is not enough to neutralize coastal criminal threats.Conclusion. In the context of digitalization, measures to combat crime at sea lead to significant costs, as they require complex technological infrastructure on ships and in ports. The norms of the law of the sea aimed at combating piracy and smuggling should be implemented at the national level, taking into account the socio-economic features of the maritime infrastructure development. Since negative economic trends entail an increase in criminal activity, the economic interests of commercial shipping entities should not be sacrificed in the fight against piracy and smuggling.