A novel architecture for secure, always-best connected ship-shore communications

Together with the IMO's future navigation system implementation strategy, the e-navigation, wireless access technologies are proliferating on the maritime scenario, covering last mile communications. In the near future, we foresee that communication technologies will coexist and will be available in overlapping areas through the maritime last mile. Therefore, in order to enhace ship-shore communications, always-best-connected procedures and an efficient mobility management protocol is required to satisfy maritime context peculiarities such as safety and security. In this article we analyze the most suitable mobility management protocol in terms of security and handover efficiency and propose a novel architecture that integrates the HIP protocol and always-best-connected procedures to best achieve maritime context specifications.