IHCL launches port security training program for hybrid threats

By AI, Created 5:29 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – The International Humanitarian College of London has launched a multi-level PORTS Training & Readiness Framework for UK ports amid rising cyber and physical threats. Backed by General Dr. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the program aims to move port security from compliance to operational readiness through online, blended and simulation-based training.

Why it matters: - UK ports sit at the center of supply chains, military logistics and humanitarian aid. - IHCL is positioning port security as a national resilience issue, not just a compliance exercise. - The program targets cyber, physical and hybrid threats that can disrupt port operations and ripple across wider infrastructure.

What happened: - The International Humanitarian College of London launched the PORTS Training & Readiness Framework on May 12, 2026. - The program is designed for port security across the United Kingdom. - General Dr. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, IHCL’s Advisory Board chairman, publicly backed the launch. - Zaluzhnyi is Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland and a former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. - IHCL said the training is meant to move port security from compliance-based practice to operational readiness.

The details: - The framework addresses cyber, physical and multi-domain threat environments. - IHCL says the program responds to the evolving hybrid threat landscape facing British and European port infrastructure. - The program includes three levels: awareness, operational readiness, and advanced specialist training. - Level 1 includes PORTS Security Awareness Fundamentals, Maritime Threat Recognition for Ports, and Cyber Awareness for Port Personnel. - Level 2 includes PORTS Executive Security Leadership, PORTS Integrated Security Management, PORTS Operational Readiness for Port Teams, and Cyber & OT Resilience for Ports. - Level 3 includes PORTS Operations Centre Training, Simulation & Scenario-Based Training, Digital Twin & Red Team Exercises, Cyber-Physical Integrated Incident Response, and a Train-the-Trainer Programme. - The courses are built for port personnel, operations staff, security teams, executives, and senior management. - IHCL says the courses are delivered online, in blended formats, and through offline simulation and live exercises. - Participants can earn certification at Foundation, Operational, Advanced and Instructor levels. - The training cycle runs through assessment and awareness, role-based training, simulation and exercises, and integrated drill and certification. - IHCL is partnering with industry suppliers and port authorities to make the program available across the United Kingdom. - The LinkedIn page for the college is here.

Between the lines: - Zaluzhnyi’s backing gives the launch added geopolitical weight because his message ties port security to lessons from Ukraine’s war. - The emphasis on cyber-physical integration reflects how modern ports depend on interconnected digital and mechanical systems. - The inclusion of train-the-trainer and annual certification suggests IHCL wants the program embedded inside port organizations, not run as a one-off course.

What’s next: - IHCL is urging UK port operators, security managers and government bodies to adopt the program as a priority. - Port organizations that enroll will be able to train staff on site or remotely, depending on operational needs. - IHCL expects the framework to build continuous readiness through recurring training, exercises and certification.

The bottom line: - IHCL is betting that UK ports need wartime-style readiness for a peacetime sector facing cyber and physical attack risks.**