Panama Maritime Authority, ClassNK Ink MOU on Cybersecurity

The Panama Maritime Authority has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Japan-based Class NK on cyber security.

The Panama Maritime Authority, aware of the role that maritime transport represents and the risks it faces because of the technological growth on board, said it wants to encourage all the Panamanian fleet’s shipowners, operators, and any other interested parties, to report incidences derived from any cyber event. That will help to better understand the cyber threats to which ships are exposed and implement more effective measures to control such risks.

A voluntary cyber incident reporting scheme has been developed through Merchant Marine Notice (MMN) 22/2021, which is available as of November 17, 2021, on the ship registry website.

The information received will allow the Panama Maritime Authority, in close collaboration with Class NK, to analyze the trends and patterns to which vessels are exposed in terms of cyber risk and thus propose measures to safeguard the efficiency of maritime transport.

ClassNK’s Hirofumi Takano, Executive Vice President, Director of Innovation Development Division, said, "Sharing a common objective to build onboard cyber resilience by cross-industry approach, I am pleased to embark the new partnership with PMA and contribute to maritime cyber security with our expertise. ClassNK has strived to develop rules and standards and conduct certification services based on outcomes gained through collaboration with front runners. We will continue to promote initiatives based on diverse partnerships and work to propose best practices related to ensuring cyber security suitable for shipping".

Speaking on the occasion, PMA’s Eng. Rafael Cigarruista, General Director of Merchant Marine, said, “As a world largest flag sate, it is our duty to take action against cyber risk and contribute to the safety of maritime transport. In this occasion, we are very happy to conclude a MOU with ClassNK, a leading classification society putting effort into maritime cyber security. By integrating the knowledge and expertise from both flag state and classification society, we are confident in developing measures against cyber risks that are appropriate for the industry to deploy.”