Fatıma 

ÖZCAN

Dr Fatıma Özcan is a graduate of Kırıkkale University (Türkiye) and holds an LLM in International Maritime Law from Swansea University (2019). She was awarded competitive scholarships by the Turkish Ministry of National Education to support both her LLM and PhD studies. She recently completed her PhD at the University of Southampton, with a thesis titled ‘Cyber Cover of Autonomous Ships in the Context of Marine Insurance’.

Throughout her academic career, Dr Özcan has presented her research at various national and international conferences. She held several academic and policy-related roles, including Policy Associate and Senior Policy Associate at Public Policy Southampton, Editor and Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Southampton Student Law Review, and part-time lecturer at Southampton Law School.

In recognition of her research, she received a £5,000 ‘New Things Fund’ grant from the University of Southampton to lead a project titled ‘Navigating Cyber Risks on Autonomous Ships: A Policy and Regulation Perspective’. As Principal Investigator, she led the development of a comprehensive policy brief addressing emerging cyber risks on autonomous ships. Additionally, she was awarded a scholarship by the Korean Maritime Institute (KMI) to attend the 2022 Yeosu Academy of the Law of the Sea in South Korea, covering all related expenses for an intensive two-week course. She is also a qualified lawyer based in Turkey.

Presentations

• “Cybersecurity in Marine Insurance Law in the Context of CL 380 Clause” (originally: ‘CL 380 Maddesi Bağlamında Deniz Sigorta Hukukunda Siber Güvenlik’), presented at the “Maritime Trade and Insurance Law After 2020: Possible Problems” Conference (originally: ‘2020 Sonrasında Deniz Ticareti ve Sigorta Hukuku: Olası Sorunlar’ Konferansı), Piri Reis University, Istanbul, 16 May 2021
• “Could Cyber Attacks Constitute Capture and Seizure as a Marine Peril?”, 11th Annual Maritime Law and Policy Postgraduate Research Conference, City University of London, 29 May 2021
• “Some Remarks on Intertwinement Between Cyber Risks and Perils of the Sea”, 12th Annual Maritime Law and Policy Conference, City University of London, 27 May 2022
• “Cyber Attack: A New Look for Piracy?”, University of Edinburgh Postgraduate Law Conference 2022, University of Edinburgh, 17 June 2022
• “Could Untargeted Cyber Attacks Against a Vessel Constitute a Malicious Act in the Context of Marine Insurance?”, SEA the Future 2023 Conference, Kasetsart University, Faculty of International Maritime Studies, Pattaya (Thailand), 28 February 2023
• “Addressing Cyber Risks as a Malicious Act by Referring to English Case”, International Maritime Conference, Minhaj University, Centre of Research and Innovation in Maritime Affairs, Pakistan, 25 May 2023.
• “Cyber Risks and Regulations on Autonomous Ships in UK Maritime Law”, Conference in Maritime Education and Training in Southeast Asia (COMET SEA) 2023, Jakarta, Indonesia, 26 September 2023.
• “Navigating Regulatory Waters: Cyber Security Governance for Autonomous Vessels”, The Leverhulme Interdisciplinary Network on Algorithmic Solutions (LINAS) Postgraduate Conference 2024, Belfast, Ireland, 22 April 2024.
• “When Cyber Gets Physical: Bridging AI, Cybersecurity, and Marine Insurance”, The Leverhulme Interdisciplinary Network on Algorithmic Solutions (LINAS) Postgraduate Conference 2025, Belfast, Ireland, 14 April 2025.

Selected Publications

Journal Article

• Ozcan, F., Cybersecurity in Marine Insurance Law in the Context of the CL380 Clause (CL380 Klozu Bağlamında Deniz Sigorta Hukukunda Siber Güvenlik), in Maritime Trade and Insurance Law After 2020: Possible Problems (2020 Sonrasında Deniz Ticareti ve Sigorta Hukuku: Olası Sorunlar), Vedat Kitapçılık, Istanbul, 2021, pp. 731–751. ISBN: 9786257421010. https://www.filizkitabevi.com/2020-sonrasinda-deniz-ticareti-ve-sigorta-hukuku-olasi-sorunlar

Project Paper

• Ozcan, F., Navigating Cyber Risks on Autonomous Ships: A Policy and Regulation Perspective, Public Policy Southampton, University of Southampton, 2025. DOI: 10.5258/SOTON/PP008 https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/501338/

• Maritime Law
• Marine Insurance Law
• Cyber Insurance Law

Research Project

Navigating Maritime Security: Cyber-Piracy in Autonomous Ships

This research explores the intersection of marine insurance law, piracy, and the emergence of autonomous ships in the digital age. It investigates whether existing legal definitions and marine insurance policies are adequately equipped to address cyber-piracy threats. The study also examines the specific vulnerabilities of autonomous vessels and proposes legal and regulatory reforms to ensure sufficient coverage in an evolving threat landscape.