Marine Link
Friday, March 29, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

Computer Systems News

12 Mar 2024

Ascenz Marorka Obtains Cybersecurity Type Approval

© jijomathai / Adobe Stock

Ascenz Marorka, a GTT Group company, has been granted a type approval for cybersecurity for its digital solutions by Bureau Veritas.The type approval highlights the ability of the Ascenz Marorka solutions to meet the cybersecurity challenges of the maritime sector with resilience and reliability. Benefiting from robust protection for its computer systems, encrypting the data used and being able to isolate the networks are some examples of approved functionalities. This approval demonstrates the Ascenz Marorka commitment to helping build a sustainable future


27 Feb 2024

GAO: Coast Guard Should Address Workforce Recruitment and Retention Challenges

Chief Warrant Officer Aaron Studie climbs a Jacob's ladder to perform a vessel inspection. Marine inspectors board boats in dry dock, moored at a pier, anchored and in rare occasions while underway. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Darryl W. Bradshaw)

The Coast Guard has struggled for years to recruit and retain a sufficient workforce. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), the non-partisan, fact-based arm of the Congress, has published multiple reports related to the Coast Guard’s workforce including recruitment and retention challenges. Three of these reports published in 2022 and 2023 have resulted in 17 GAO recommendations to address these issues, but as of today, 16 remain open and need to be addressed. Implementing


08 Nov 2021

ClassNK Grants First CybR-G Notation for Cyber Secure Ship Design

Classification society ClassNK said it has granted Cyber Resilience-Guideline (CybR-G) notation to Tateshina, a new oil tanker built by Nantong COSCO KHI Ship Engineering Co., Ltd.(NACKS) for NYK Line. CybR-G notation represents that the ship design has incorporated cyber security measures in accordance with ClassNK’s “Guidelines for Designing Cyber Security Onboard Ships”, and that it is feasible for ship operation considering cyber security.ClassNK has released “Guidelines for Designing Cyber Security Onboard Ships” by compiling best practices for newbuilding designs of shipyards and shipowners, from the view of identifying computer systems to be protected from cyber attacks, and building a network to safeguard them.

04 Nov 2021

Maritime Cybersecurity: Prepare, Detect and Respond

© pinkeyes / Adobe Stock

At a time when the world has become more aware than ever before about the vital importance of the world’s ocean shipping fleet, which carried supplies, merchandise and much needed personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic, an increased risk from a different threat, cyberattacks, presents a set of new challenges. According to Israeli cybersecurity specialist Naval Dome, since February 2020, there has been a 400% increase in attempted hacks on the maritime realm


07 Jul 2021

‘Boaty McBoatface’ Robotic Submarine to Visit End-of-life Oil and Gas Fields

Credit: NOC

The UK National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has secured funding from the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), which will take robot submarine ‘Boaty McBoatface’ around end-of-life oil and gas fields. The Autonomous Techniques for infraStructure Ecological Assessment (AT-SEA) project, led by the NOC will trial the concept of using submarines like Boaty for high-tech, low-impact monitoring to pick up any potential environmental impacts at these sites, NOC said.The NOC has received £670


22 Jun 2021

From Protecting National Sovereignty to Protecting the Reef

AIMS Technology Development Engineering Team Leader Melanie Olsen driving QUT's WAM-V at ReefWorks Marine Operations Test Range. (Photo: Australian Institute of Marine Science)

Melanie Olsen is harnessing 10 years of missile defense and electronic warfare systems expertise to drive rapid technological innovation in marine research and monitoring. Today, on International Women in Engineering Day, the AIMS Team Leader for Technology Development Engineering shares her unique journey.Growing up in a third-generation farming family near the small settlement of El Arish in north Queensland, Melanie Olsen thought engineers were train drivers.When a James Cook University engineering lecturer visited her small rural high school with a quad helicopter


12 Apr 2021

ABS Grants Its Software Quality Management Notation for OOS Serooskerke Semi-sub

Credit: ABS

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has granted its Integrated Software Quality Management (ISQM) notation to OOS Serooskerke one of the world’s largest semi-submersible, heavy-lift crane platforms.The ABS Integrated Software Quality Management (ISQM) notation recognizes OOS' risk-based approach to critical software control safety systems.ABS said that key operational software on the ABS-classed OOS Serooskerke, a 138m-long vessel with hotel capacity for 750 people, has undergone


26 Jan 2021

Managing Risk: Shipowners Not Meeting Emission Regs Face a Big Business Risk

“Shipowners can use the digital tools available to take actions to reduce emissions. The add-on, of course, is you will have more profit and will be more attractive in the market for charterers and other types of customers," said Arild Risholm Saether, NAVTOR’s head of business development.

There is  increasing pressure for shipowners to sharpen their environmental performance, driven by an IMO target to halve greenhouse gas emissions from shipping by 2050, regional regulations and market pull from charterers, banks and investors.“This represents a whole new ball game for the industry. Optimization of ship operations has traditionally been dictated by the efficiency of delivery around the globe that has typically meant being able to sail at full speed, thereby burning more fuel, to minimize costs for the charterer.

17 Nov 2020

Elliott Bay Design Group Hires Cardella, Laduke

Naval architecture and marine engineering firm Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) s aid it has hired two new employees to fill positions of retiring employees.Joseph Cardella joins the company as a project manager and is based out of the Covington, La. office. He will lead and manage diverse marine projects along the Gulf Coast, supporting clients with their engineering needs.Cardella has over 13 years of experience as a naval architect and project engineer within the maritime field.

23 Jul 2020

Understanding Marine Autonomy: Today’s Market and Future Concerns

Copyright:  videotrinkets/AdobeStock

Press coverage of early commercial marine autonomy projects is remarkably broad given the small number of marine industry professionals engaged in bringing these projects to market. The much larger assembly of industry stakeholders are left wondering what marine autonomy means for them. Regulatory, cost, and technical challenges stand in the way of fielding today’s autonomy technologies for most existing fleets and vessel missions. Autonomy is coming whether you’re prepared or not.

17 Jul 2020

ClassNK Publishes Maritime Cyber Security Guidelines

© Parilov / Adobe Stock

Japan-based classification society ClassNK has released the second edition of its Guidelines for Designing Cyber Security Onboard Ships outlining current best practices for newbuild design.In the latest iteration, which is available to download at no cost via ClassNK’s website, the control measures and the framework to implement such measures were updated to incorporate the international cyber security standards for industrial control systems IEC 62443 series and the latest recommendation on cyber resilience for new ships (Rec. No.

02 Mar 2020

Business and Personnel Considerations in the Age of Autonomous Ships:

Image: videotrinkets/AdobeStock

There is much talk among maritime professionals about how automation and autonomous vessels will make the industry safer. In truth, innovation will be driven by the bottom line and will take time before it is commonplace in the industry. Early examples are likely to be limited to smaller vessels and coastal waters. Autonomous ships are predicted to reduce human error, a major driver of accidents, but crews will still have an important role on board vessels for the foreseeable future.Recent TrialsIn December 2018


14 Feb 2020

Stowage Deficiencies Caused YM Efficiency Containers Loss -Report

(Photo: ATSB)

Deficiencies in the cargo stowage arrangement ultimately caused the YM Efficiency to lose 81 containers while sailing in heavy seas off Australia in June 2018, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau's (ATSB) investigation revealed.The Liberian-flagged vessel was en route from Taiwan to Sydney when it suddenly rolled heavily in strong gale force winds and rough seas, causing the ship to lose 81 containers overboard and another 62 containers to be damaged. The containership, operated by Taiwan shipping company Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation


10 Dec 2019

INSIGHTS: Sean Fernstrum, President, R.W. Fernstrum

Sean Fernstrum, President and a third-generation owner of R.W Fernstrum & Company

This month, listen in as Sean Fernstrum weighs in on how his firm arrived at its enviable market position, what comes next, and why.Sean Fernstrum is a third-generation owner of R.W Fernstrum & Company. He graduated from Michigan Technological University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Scientific and Technical Communications. After college, he came home to Menominee, Michigan and began working as a Technical Writer at R.W. Fernstrum & Company. He has been President of the company for the last 8 years.

05 Nov 2019

Marine Firm James Fisher Reports Cyber Breach

Photo: JFS

Marine services provider James Fisher and Sons Plc (JFS) said on Tuesday that hackers had gained unauthorized access to its computer systems, sending its shares down as much as 5.7%.JFS said it had taken all affected systems offline as a precautionary measure and was working with cyber security experts to recover systems, applications and data from its disaster recovery back-up."Work is ongoing to complete the recovery as quickly as possible and to minimize any impact on our businesses


14 Oct 2019

Wrangling Big Data Into Actionable Intel

Photo by Randy Montoya

Social media, cameras, sensors and more generate huge amounts of data that can overwhelm analysts sifting through it all for meaningful, actionable information to provide decision-makers such as political leaders and field commanders responding to security threats.Sandia National Laboratories researchers are working to lessen that burden by developing the science to gather insights from data in nearly real time.“The amount of data produced by sensors and social media is booming — every day there’s about 2.5 quintillion (or 2.5 billion billion) bytes of data generated


11 Jul 2019

Operators Cannot Turn a Blind Eye to Cyber Security

Photo: Gard

Whilst investigating a cyber incident onboard a ship the USCG found that the security risk presented by the shipboard network was well known among the crew before the incident.In its recent Marine Safety Alert 06-19, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) shares its findings from an investigation into a cyber incident onboard a commercial vessel:“In February 2019, a deep draft vessel on an international voyage bound for the Port of New York and New Jersey reported that they were experiencing a significant cyber incident impacting their shipboard network.

12 Apr 2019

ICTSI Argentina Opens TecPlata Terminal

International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) has inaugurated container operations at TecPlata, located in Argentina’s Puerto de La Plata.The opening ceremony was attended by the vice governor of the province of Buenos Aires, the Minister of Production and several other national, provincial and municipal officials.The opening rites were highlighted by the arrival of Jacarandá, a vessel of Log-In, a Brazilian shipping line specializing in door-to-door logistics solutions which recently signed an agreement with TecPlata, a subsidiary of Philippine-based port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI). The arrival of the vessel


14 Jan 2019

Vice Adm. Richard Hunt to lead SNA

Retired Vice Adm. Richard Hunt will assume the position of president of the Surface Navy Association (SNA) at the association’s annual symposium in January. Hunt succeeds retired Vice Adm. Barry McCullough, who has been president since 2013.Hunt is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was commissioned in February 1976 through the Officer Candidate School program in Newport, R.I. He attended Naval Post Graduate School, receiving a Master of Science in Telecommunications Systems Management in March 1988.He has served in USS Sampson (DDG 10), USS Underwood (FFG 36) and USS Roark (FF 1053), and has commanded USS Crommelin (FFG 37) and USS Philippine Sea (CG 58).

13 Jun 2019

Cyber Risk Management: What Maritime Professionals Need to Know Now

© pickup/Adobe Stock

The IMO January 2021 deadline for shipping interests to incorporate cyber risk management into their existing Safety Management Systems is fast approaching. It is critical that stakeholders understand their vulnerabilities. The IMO has issued MSC-FAL.1/Circ.3 guidelines on maritime cyber risk management that does a good job of outlining the many vulnerable systems within marine operations, including:1.Bridge systems;2. Cargo handling and management systems;3.Propulsion and machinery management and power control systems;4.

19 Feb 2019

Hatteland Display, Elektronix Merge

Logo: Hatteland Display

Maritime display and computer manufacturer Hatteland Display has announced that it is merging with advanced technology solutions provider Elektronix. Under the terms of this unification, the two subsidiaries of the EMBRON group will now become a single entity, called Hatteland Technology.As a provider of advanced technology solutions within industrial computing, security & surveillance and industrial networking, the Elektronix portfolio is highly complimentary with Hatteland Display’s offering as the global leader in maritime display and computer systems.

23 Oct 2018

Automation for Ship Renewable Energy Systems Unveiled

Photo: Eco Marine Power

As part of the ongoing strategy to prepare its EnergySail and Aquarius MRE for commercial release, Eco Marine Power (EMP) unveiled further details of its automated control and monitoring systems. These will enable EMP’s technologies to integrate with existing ship-based systems. This will facilitate the seamless operation between EMP's renewable energy platforms with other equipment on ships including fuel flow meters.Three marine computer systems jointly developed with KEI System Ltd will be integrated to provide a robust


19 Sep 2018

Naval Dome Call on Insurers to Revoke Clause CL 380

Itai Sela  (Photo: Naval Dome)

Naval Dome has called on marine insurers to revoke the controversial Clause CL 380 and implement policies that insure against the risk of cyber-attacks on ship systems.Speaking in Cape Town, South Africa, today during the International Union of Marine Insurance’s (IUMI) annual conference, Naval Dome CEO Itai Sela said that with the maritime industry increasingly moving towards connected, cloud-based technologies and autonomous operation, a 15-year-old Clause that excludes damage to computer systems