Cyber Systems News

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has shortlisted 11 proposals, submitted by seven companies and consortia, to advance designs and promote adoption of full electric harbor craft (e-HC) in Singapore.The announcement follows call for the expressions of interest (EOI), launched by MPA) in 2023, which yielded 55 proposals from 32 international and local companies and consortia.The results signal high interest and strong confidence by global and local participants in the development of e-HC in Singapore.Of the 11 e-HC designs…

The 2022 Maritime Risk Symposium scheduled to be held November 15-17, 2022, hosted by Argonne National Laboratory, will feature a panel discussion entitled "Training the Next Generation of Maritime Cyber Warriors."The cyber threats to the maritime environment are increasing in scope and magnitude while the talent stream struggles to keep up. This panel will address some of the innovative ways in which the next generation of cyber warriors are being prepared by expanding experiential learning through directed practical experience.

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…

The challenges and opportunities posed by alternative fuels, safety management and social media dominated Interferry’s 42nd annual conference in Split, Croatia, where a record 370 delegates shared insights on ship technologies, safety issues including cyber security and the customer experience. Attendance at last week’s conference represented 210 ferry operators and suppliers from 27 countries. Mediterranean ferry operators voiced their concerns on meeting the 0.5 percent sulphur emissions cap due in 2020. Minoan Lines managing director Antonios Maniadakis complained that using low sulphur fuel would increase costs by €2 million per year.

As the marine industry moves towards the incorporation of digital, connected solutions onboard ships, Lloyd’s Register (LR) released Type Approval Requirements for components within Cyber Enabled Systems on board Ships. According to LR, introduction of this type approval procedure is important, as it defines a critical point in the evolution of smart technology implementation within the marine and offshore industry – delivering an assurance system that provides confidence in the market for the supply of cyber enabled components. Shipyards and designers will be able to select type approved component parts to build cyber enabled ‘smart’ ship systems with a new level of confidence and quality indication.

Inmarsat is giving its full backing to a new joint working group formed by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) to develop a coordinated position on cybercrime and its prevention. The maritime industry satellite service provider said that stakeholder unity was critical in meeting the unpredictability of the cyber security threat to shipping. IACS sees the JWG approach as key to driving pan-industry technical or policy initiatives forward where the issue identified affects not only IACS Members but other parts of the industry. Inmarsat is a founding member of the group, which is being led by George Reilly of ABS and has been charged with evaluating measures to develop standardized industry practices to oppose maritime cyber threats from any direction.

Rear Admiral Paul Thomas develops and maintains policy, standards and program alignment for waterways management, navigation safety, boating, commercial vessels, ports and facilities, merchant mariner credentialing, vessel documentation, marine casualty investigation, inspection and port state control activities. He serves as the Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy overseeing three Coast Guard directorates: Inspections and Compliance, Marine Transportation Systems, and Commercial Regulations and Standards. A specialist in Marine Safety, Security and Environmental Protection, he has served at the Marine Safety Center in Washington, DC and many others before that. His other tours include, among others, service as Commanding Officer of USCGC CAPE ROMAIN.

Industry security experts have concluded that maritime crime will not be stopped any time soon – and that cyber incidents would continue to expand in frequency and severity. This was the consensus at BIMCO’s first ever Maritime Security Seminar in Copenhagen. There was further consensus that regional instability in the Horn of Africa confirms the need to retain legacy systems such as the Maritime Security Centre – Horn of Africa (MSCHOA) and the Shared Awareness and Deconfliction (SHADE) initiative to continue to deter piracy. The seminar gathered together a large cross section of leading stakeholders involved with the maritime security domain to address a broad range of topics focusing on piracy, terrorism and other illegal maritime activities, including attacks on cyber systems.

ABS, a provider of classification and technical services to the global marine and offshore industries, unveiled the first comprehensive cybersecurity certification and optional notations for marine and offshore assets and facilities at the SMM (Shipbuilding, Machinery, Marine) bi-annual international maritime trade fair. Introduced in early 2016, the ABS CyberSafety series is the industry’s first risk-based management program for asset owners to apply best practice approaches to cybersecurity, automated systems safety, data integrity and software verification.

The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has created a Cyber Panel to lend support and resources to address what has become a key industry issue. IACS panels represent the top tier of the Association's issue-specific bodies, so establishing a Cyber Safety panel raises the significance of this concern to that of IACS' traditional focus areas of Safety, Environment, Hull, Machinery and Survey. Upgrading the existing Expert Group on Cyber Systems to a full Panel significantly enhances the organization's ability to address Cyber Safety concerns and support the protection of human life, property and the marine environment. Two Joint Working Groups (JWGs) also were established at the meeting.

The Head of Class: Christopher J. The global maritime industry faces myriad challenges in the ongoing quest to run safe, profitable operations in an oftentimes tumultuous environment. More than ever vessel owners are faced with daunting regulatory and technical challenges, and the world’s leading classification societies remain the foundation upon which successful marine operations are built. Last month we visited with Christopher J. Wiernicki, the head of ABS and the newly elected head of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), for insight and analysis.

An increasing number of systems on ships and at marine facilities depend on cyber technologies for routine operations. While cyber technology has improved efficiencies in the marine industry and around the world, it has also created potential vulnerabilities. For example, the towboats that move goods through the Western Rivers and along our coasts rely heavily on electronic navigation systems, including Automatic Identification System (AIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS), to safely transit around riverbends, capes, and shoals.

General Dynamics Mission Systems' new TACLANE®-10G (KG-175X) in-line network encryptor is now certified by the National Security Agency (NSA) to secure information at the Top Secret level and below. The NSA certification authorizes U.S. government organizations to order the new 10G encryptor. "The NSA certification of TACLANE-10G is another step forward for General Dynamics Mission Systems' cyber defense capabilities. General Dynamics keeps our customers connected while ensuring their security and advancing their operations. Securing sensitive and critical information is yet another example of how we support our customers," said Chris Marzilli, president of General Dynamics Mission Systems.

The U.S. Executive Branch has declared that the cyber threat is one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation, and that America’s economic prosperity in the 21st century will depend on effective cyber security. Before the maritime industry sounds the danger signal, it needs to monitor other industries and branches of the government and take proactive preventative measures. There is no better place to prepare future and current mariners for these challenges than in maritime simulators.

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems today announced that Edward A. Timmes, Jr., has joined the company as vice president of its Intelligence Systems business in its Cyber Systems division. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems is a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD). Timmes will lead an organization focused on providing customers, partners and teammates with innovative solutions designed to harden systems, reduce vulnerabilities and defend against cyber attacks. Core capabilities include data acquisition and analysis, systems integration and analysis, cyber situational awareness and real-time analytics. Additionally…

The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), which met at the Organization's London headquarters for its 94th session, from November 17-21, 2014, approved draft SOLAS amendments to make mandatory the International Code of Safety for Ships using Gases or other Low- flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code); adopted other SOLAS amendments; continued its work on its action plan on passenger ship safety; and approved and adopted a number of items put forward by the subcommittees. The MSC also adopted the Polar Code and related amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) to make it mandatory.