Security Software Updates News

Carnival Cruise Line has previewed its new Fleet Operations Center (FOC) in Miami, the largest and most advanced in the cruise industry. The 35,000-square-foot facility is custom-designed for hands-on, around-the-clock monitoring and support of the line's 26 cruise ships. The Carnival Cruise Line FOC is the first facility of its kind in South Florida and features a state-of-the-art tracking and data-analysis platform that enables real-time information sharing between Carnival ships and specialized shoreside teams designed to support fleet operations.

RadiantFleet announced closing an agreement with River Advice AG. The agreement includes the use of RadiantFleet platform (Software as a Service) for Crew and Payroll Management. The software solution provides River Advice real time collaboration between their corporate offices, managed vessels and crew. River Advice was established in 2004 and soon developed to what is now the leading manager of river cruise ships in Europe. With corporate offices in Basel, Cologne, Limassol and Luxemburg, the group offers a broad range of services tailored to the needs to each client.

BASS will be exhibiting at Nor-Shipping 2003 from June 3-6, 2003, demonstrating the benefits of BASS Software at their stand located at D:4-26. During the same week, Barber International / BASS will be providing a seminar on the ISPS Code & Security on June 4 from 11 a.m. – 12 Noon, at Arena Hotel next, located next door to Nor-shipping. The Barber Security Seminar aims to present the implications of the new security policy, with sharing of experience of vessels calling US ports, assessments, planning and training, and crew related aspects on security and training. BASS is also giving a safety software presentation at this seminar. In addition, the BASS Europe User Conference 2003 is the company’s main event, which will be held from June 2-3, 2003 in Lysaker, Norway.

Astrium Services released an update for its SkyFile Mail software, which provides more user flexibility and cost reductions on regular maintenance in addition to offering more possibilities to “Bring Your Own Device” on board. The new monthly update of SkyFile Mail Anti Virus improves security and features a new automatic notification that prompts the Master to update the Anti Virus software over the air. User flexibility is improved with SkyFile Mail v8.25 through enhanced I4 device control, which with the addition of JRC and Furuno, is now available for all types of FleetBroadband terminal.

The Round Table of international shipping associations (RT) comprising BIMCO, ICS, Intercargo and INTERTANKO announced today that they are developing standards and guidelines to address the major cyber security issues faced by the shipping industry. Protection against malicious attacks on computer based systems onboard ships is now hitting the top of the agenda for shipping organisations in all corners of the world. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has already heard calls for action and the insurance industry repeatedly lists the issue as one for concern. The Round Table has made a submission to the IMO on this vital issue outlining the steps taken by the industry to address any vulnerabilities.

(Houston, TX---)   Class society ABS announces the development of the Guide for Integrated Software Quality Management (ISQM) and an associated optional notation. As the offshore industry has increased reliance on computer controlled systems, validating software programs including their integration, has become vital to safe and efficient operations. ISQM is a risk-based software development and maintenance process built on internationally recognized standards. The ISQM process…

You have either been hacked... or just didn’t know you have been hacked. I predict that the first catastrophic maritime cyber incident will not be the result of a direct attack on a safety critical specific piece of equipment. It will be the result of an infection on a random PC, perhaps an unassuming email to a crew member, whose PC is either connected to the vessels internal super highway or he transmits the infection internally whilst it lies dormant. Crypto locker, or Ransomware software (used by thousands of hackers)…

Creative Systems, Inc., makers of GHS (General HydroStatics) ship stability software, has released version 8.0, a major update that incorporates many improvements, including a new on-sreen report preview. Shipments of the update to existing users with maintenance subscriptions are now complete. Others wishing to take advantage of these improvements, please contact Creative Systems directly. The company's onbard software, GHS Load Monitor (GLM) version 8.0, also has several new features which may be viewed at www.ghsport.com/glm.htm. Existing GLM installations wishing to update to the new version should contact their naval architects or Creative Systems. For more information e-mail sales@ghsport.com or visit www.ghsport.com/home.htm

Kongsberg Maritime has delivered new fleet and vessel management functionality through a recent customized software update across Dampskibsselskabet NORDEN A/S’ fleet and shore offices. The software roll-out took place during January 2016 and included updates to vessel and shore based modules covering maintenance, spare parts, information sharing, procurement and budgeting. The updated software was developed in close co-operation with NORDEN, an independent Danish shipping company operating a large global fleet of dry cargo vessels and product tankers.

German navigation system manufacturer Raytheon Anschütz announced it is ready to deliver Electronic Chart Display & Information System (ECDIS) Software compliant with new International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) standards. The IEC and IHO have published new versions of some of their ECDIS standards, and all users must update their existing ECDIS to be in compliance by September 1, 2017. Raytheon Anschütz has finished type approval of the ECDIS Software according to these standards.

Eniram, a Wärtsilä company, has introduced a major update to its performance monitoring system targeted at commercial shipping operators. The Eniram SkyLight 2.0 adds nautical maps, weather layers, and route importation to make predictive analysis and proactive planning more available. The updated system can visualise a vessel’s route from economic, environmental, and safety perspectives. Together with the weather and route information, SkyLight 2.0 includes the possibility to switch between updated nautical maps and Google maps as a background within SkyLight’s ‘fleet’…

Advancement in broadband technologies and the move toward ‘Big Data’ will leave the maritime industry vulnerable to cyber-crime unless it develops a better awareness of ICT security and adopts security best practice, warns ESC Global Security’s head of cyber security division, Joseph Carson. “There is the potential for a major cyber attack on the maritime industry to significantly disrupt food and energy supplies given that shipping transports 90 percent of the world’s global trade.

Buffalo Computer Graphics (BCG) Inc. released an updated version of its Virtual Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (VGMDSS) Simulation software. BCG’s VGMDSS software is comprised of emulations of commercially available components to make up a complete suite of virtual devices capable of conducting GMDSS training in all four sea areas. Designed to be installed on a Windows PC with a single or dual monitors, the VGMDSS software features all the required components for a Desktop GMDSS simulator.

NauticalManager from Jeppesen allows mariners to easily plan, generate and document routes using an ECDIS and onboard PC. It also makes it simple to create the reports required by port state control and class auditors for checking a vessel’s ECDIS compliance. NauticalManager eases the bridge-side burden of ENC management by making it simple to order Official ENCs, review the chart portfolio and integrate temporary and preliminary Notices to Mariners. NauticalManager was developed…

B&G, the world’s leading sailing navigation and instrument specialist has upgraded its latest software for the full range of Zeus2 and Vulcan chartplotters. The new software upgrade enhances B&G chartplotters, allowing users to wirelessly download high-resolution weather information using PredictWind* GRIB files to store meteorological forecasts. This new functionality helps in trip planning or developing strategy for top-level competition. PredictWind is recognized as the leading global supplier of weather data for inshore and offshore sailing…

General Dynamics C4 Systems recently received the Defense Mobile Classified Capability (DMCC) contract from the National Security Agency (NSA). As part of the contract, General Dynamics will deliver up to 1,000 Samsung KNOX™-enabled Galaxy S® 4 smartphones provisioned with added GD Protected® software for the U.S. government. With these new smartphones, authorized government personnel will be able to make secure phone calls and access classified email. The GD Protected Samsung KNOX smartphones represent an important step toward the government’s Commercial Solutions for Classified initiative.

Over the past two months the world has been rocked by three major hacking events that have garnered international notice. These included the EQIFAX event in which 140 million individuals were reported to be possibly compromised, the WannaCry attack and the NotPeyta event. In the past two years the emphasis on the cyber security of the Marine Transportation System, a vital economic cog to the world has come under increasing scrutiny. In August, trade journals and major international…

ClassNK (Chairman and President: Noboru Ueda) has released a new revised edition of its Guidelines for Hull Girder Torsional Strength Assessment which comprise section of the leading class society’s Guidelines for Container Carrier Structures. In order to respond to the rapidly increasing size of container carriers, as well as rationally address the latest theories and methods of container carrier design, ClassNK began to a comprehensive process to review and update its Guidelines for Container Carrier Structures in 2011.

BIMCO and the international association for the marine electronics industry, CIRM (Comité International Radio-Maritime), have sent the industry’s first proposal for an industry-wide standard for software maintenance to the IMO for consideration. Without an industry-standard, BIMCO sees an increasing risk of severe incidents on ships, delays and costs to shipowners and cyber security problems. "We hope the entire industry will adopt these standards, to make ships safer, to prevent cyber security problems and to save money," says Angus Frew, Secretary General and CEO at BIMCO.

The Wärtsilä Nacos Platinum series of navigation, automation and control systems has been updated to include a number of new functions. The updated version will be introduced at the SMM conference and exhibition taking place in Hamburg, Germany from September 5 to 9. Among the most interesting of the new functions is Intelligent Route Planning, which takes into account weather and sea conditions to provide route and power optimisation and, therefore, notable fuel savings. Automated execution is also available.

IMO takes steps to ensure ECDIS manufacturers publish information about software updates for older systems. The manufacturers of ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems) equipment are to publish information on the latest versions of the software used to operate their equipment, in order to help clarify certain anomalies that had been identified with some older systems. This was the principal outcome of a meeting hosted by the IMO Secretariat earlier this week (11 September 2012) to discuss ways to address the matter. The information is to be posted on the website of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), and will include links to enable ships to download the latest versions of the operating software, if necessary.

ClassNK has just released the latest version of its design support software PrimeShip-HULL (HCSR) Ver.5.0.0, developed in response to the IACS Common Structural Rules for Bulk Carriers and Oil Tankers (CSR BC & OT). The new version incorporates the latest rule amendments to CSR BC & OT (Rule Change Notice 1 to CSR 01 JAN 2017 version) including amendments based on feedback from the industry. In addition to the incorporation of the latest rule amendments, various functions were also added or improved for the PrimeShip-HULL(HCSR) prescriptive calculation software and direct strength assessment software. The calculation report function found in the prescriptive calculation software is now turned a stand-alone system…

Since mid 2015 when MCA first approved a Thailand based seafarer training facility, that destination has experienced growth as a popular focus for both advanced seafarers and also entry level crew to complete STCW 2010 and the new updating STCW courses.Anthony Gould, CEO and major investor in Galileo Maritime Academy, said at the recent launch of their Survival Craft and Fast Rescue Boats training facility in Phuket, “Over the last three years international professional seafarers coming to Phuket…