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CALL FOR PAPERS
The 4th IEEE LCN Special Track on Maritime Communication and Security (MarCaS)
in conjunction with the
51st Annual IEEE Conference on Local Computer Networks (IEEE LCN 2026)

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Coimbra, Portugal, 7-9 October 2026
https://garykessler.net/lcn_marcas/


## Scope and Topics
The MarCaS Special Track will help bring together research groups working at the intersection of
maritime applications, communications technologies, and protocols, as well as IT and network security
to share and discuss ideas, novel solutions, challenges, and recent developments. The Track
solicits high quality and previously unpublished work in the maritime domain and the research field of
the LCN to stimulate novel approaches for a safer and more resilient shipping.

Join us for this exciting and timely Special Track at the Local Computer Network Conference!!!

The topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
* Maritime IT/OT systems, architectures, and communication technologies
* Multi-sensor networks and Cyber-Physical Systems
* Underwater communication, networks, and surveillance
* On-shore and intermodal communication systems
* Maritime cybersecurity and vulnerability analysis
* Safe and secure navigation, GPS interference technique, and GNSS-independent localization
* AIS and radar protocol security
* Security assessments, threat analyses, and cyber risk management
* (Open source) test and simulation environments and maritime datasets
* Autonomous systems and shipping
* Smart ships, smart ports, and maritime IoT technologies
* Maritime (security) education and training
* Machine learning / artificial intelligence
* Maritime blockchain use cases

## Submission Instructions
* Submission using EDAS system: https://edas.info/N35292
* Paper submissions may be up to six (6) pages (excl. references and appendices)
* in two-column IEEE style
* Detailed instructions can be found on the webpage.

## Important Dates
* Paper registration: May 25, 2026
* Paper submission: June 01, 2026
* Notification: August 10, 2026
* Final paper: September 7, 2026

## Special Track Organizers
* Jan Bauer, Fraunhofer FKIE, Germany
* Gary C. Kessler, Gary Kessler Associates, USA
* Ulku Clark, University of North Carolina Wilmington, USA
* Stephen McCombie, NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands

You can contact the organizers at marcas@garykessler.net