About us
MARITIME EXPERTISE AND CYBERSECURITY PRECISION. IN ONE COMPANY.
MDM brings together deep maritime expertise and proven cybersecurity technology, to protect the vessels, fleets and supply chains that keep Europe moving.
Who we are
MDM, Maritime Data Management, is a Rotterdam-based company founded in 2025 with one clear mission: to make the maritime sector structurally more secure, resilient and future-proof. We started with a question that kept coming up in conversations on the water: as vessels become more connected, who is actually keeping an eye on the risks? Navigation systems, engine management, communication equipment. The modern inland ship is more digitally exposed than most people realize. And the regulations are following close behind. MDM's answer is practical and built for the sector. No generic IT solutions adapted for the water, but technology developed specifically for maritime operations. Starting with our first product: MDM-PROTECT.
Our mission is to secure the maritime sector by protecting the critical systems that keep vessels operational, safe, and connected.
How it started
MDM did not begin in a boardroom. It began in conversations between people who know the maritime sector and recognised that cybersecurity in inland shipping was a gap that urgently needed to be filled.
September 2025
MDM is founded. Jansma International and aXite Security Tools join forces, each taking a 50% stake. Development of MDM-PROTECT begins in close collaboration with Wijgaart Shipping and Shipping Technology.
Late 2025 — Early 2026
MDM-PROTECT is installed, tested and refined on board the MTS West Virginia, a tanker operated by Wijgaart Shipping. For the first time, an inland vessel's IT and OT systems are fully protected against cyber threats, from bridge to engine room.
May 2026
MDM officially launches. The MTS West Virginia becomes the first fully cybersecure inland vessel in the world. Wijgaart Shipping is already planning to protect more vessels in their fleet. MDM opens its doors to the wider maritime sector.
What started as a pilot has become a proven solution. One ship, fully cybersecure. And that is just the beginning.
Built together
Developing a first-of-its-kind cybersecurity solution for maritime operations is not something you do alone. MDM-PROTECT was built in close partnership with two organisations that understood what we were trying to achieve and were willing to put in the work alongside us.
Wijgaart Shipping
Wijgaart Shipping was our development partner and first customer. They recognised that cyber threats were becoming an increasingly real risk for their operations and made the MTS West Virginia available for the installation, testing and refinement of MDM-PROTECT. Their practical input from the water shaped the product into what it is today. With their first ship and office now fully protected, they are actively expanding MDM-PROTECT to more vessels in their fleet.
Shipping Technology
Shipping Technology brings years of experience in bringing digital innovation to inland shipping. Their deep knowledge of on-board systems and data infrastructure was invaluable in the technical development of MDM-PROTECT. A partner that knows the vessel, inside and out.
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MDM is a 50/50 joint venture between two organisations that each bring something the other cannot: operational depth in maritime and proven expertise in OT cybersecurity. Together, they form the foundation MDM is built on.
Jansma International
Jansma International has spent more than a decade building, operating and innovating in the maritime sector. Their track record ranges from constructing inland vessels and offshore installations to leading the transition to zero-emission shipping in Europe.
Jansma International brings together three companies under one name:
- Jansma Shipyard: over 14 years of experience in building and repairing inland vessels, barges and offshore constructions for clients across the world.
- Jansma Shipping: operating and leasing zero-emission vessels and barges, with a focus on sustainable inland transport.
- Jansma Energy (coming soon): providing charging infrastructure to support the shift towards zero-emission inland shipping across Europe.
This is not a technology company that learned about shipping. This is a maritime company that decided to take cybersecurity seriously.
aXite Security Tools
aXite Security Tools specialises in OT cybersecurity for operational environments. The kind of complex, often legacy systems that are difficult to secure but critical to protect. They have spent decades working in some of the most demanding environments imaginable, including airports, energy hubs and critical infrastructure.
Their credentials speak for themselves. Together with Schiphol Airport, aXite won the Computable Award for Large OT-Cybersecurity Project in the Netherlands, recognising their work securing the low-level control systems behind the airport's baggage handling operation.
For MDM, aXite provides the technical backbone: the AI-driven detection engine, the monitoring infrastructure and the deep understanding of how operational systems behave and how they can be compromised.
What we are building towards
Cybersecurity is where we start, but MDM's vision is broader: a maritime sector where vessels, offices and supply chain partners share data securely and operate as one connected, resilient system. In the coming period, MDM is developing solutions for secure data sharing between ship and shore, office-to-vessel integration, and risk assessments to support NIS2 compliance. The maritime sector is moving fast and we are building to keep up with it.
