Last Revised: May 19, 2026

Security, Access & Platform - Frequently Asked Questions

Marine Data Hub is operated by Marine Information Solutions Ltd (MIS).

MIS is registered in England and Wales with company number 08082437.

For the Hub Privacy Policy - click here

Authentication & Two-Factor Authentication

Marine Data Hub uses dedicated user accounts set up by MIS.
SSO is not supported.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is available and can be enforced across your entire organisation by contacting Hub Support.

Data Shares can only be created between registered Hub member organisations, meaning access is restricted to authorised users.
External participants (users from non-registered organisations) are invited via token-based email links, which remain active until the Dialogue is marked as completed or the invitation is revoked.
An optional invitation code setting adds a second verification step for external participants; these codes expire after 30 minutes.

Basic usage statistics are available to organisation administrators within the Hub Administration area.
Full system audit logs are maintained by MIS for support, diagnostic, and data governance purposes.

Hub is hosted on Microsoft Azure (South Central US), with site recovery replication to North Central US.
- Backups are stored in both regions.
Customer data is logically separated through software firewall controls, with additional database and code-level safeguards.

Data in transit is protected using TLS 1.2 minimum, including all internal network traffic.
Data at rest is encrypted using Azure Storage Service Encryption (AES-256).
- Keys are provider-managed.

MIS holds ISO 27001 certification¹ and Cyber Essentials² & Cyber Essentials Plus accreditations³.
Applications are penetration tested annually, with no current critical or high findings.

Vulnerability Patching SLA

MIS maintains a formal incident response plan. Customers are notified as soon as a breach is confirmed, alongside notification to relevant authorities.

Standard Hub usage is free.
Advanced features (custom Communities, offline report editor, custom data capture templates) are available under a separate commercial arrangement.
Onboarding is free of charge and involves submitting a registration form with company, user, and vessel details.
- an Administrator must accept the EULA⁴ before other users can access the platform.
- Once accounts are created, users receive login credentials and must change their password on first login.

Support is available Monday–Friday, 08:30–17:00 UK time, excluding UK public holidays. Contact via the Administration area within Hub or by emailing support@marinedatahub.org.

Support SLA

Target response time: 4 hours

Target resolution time: 1 business day