Bureau Veritas develops maritime cyber notations

This new series of classification notations, guidelines and services enable owners to comply with regulatory requirements, safeguard their crews and protect their assets from both malfunction and malicious attack.

“The approach developed by Bureau Veritas enables shipowners to address risks relating to digital onboard systems, including the major cybersecurity threat to communications between ship and shore,” said Gijsbert de Jong, marine marketing & sales director, Bureau Veritas.

Cyber notations

The first notation called SW-Registry, focuses on software change management ensuring that installations of tested new software versions are properly tracked.

It requires the creation and maintenance of a certified register of software used in the ship’s onboard systems. SW-Registry is compulsory for newbuild ships using digital systems and enables owners to comply with IACS UR E22, applicable from 1 July 2017.

SYS-COM, a second notation, addresses cyber security and has been developed using experience from projects with shipowners, such as Bourbon and Kongsberg. It is directed at preventing malicious cyber-attacks. It covers the exchange of data between ship and shore.

These new notations compliment the NI 641- Guidelines for Autonomous Shipping Bureau Veritas released at the end of December.

Further tools and services are planned for 2018, including a certification scheme covering all onboard systems and equipment and an additional class notation covering continuous monitoring of the state of the onboard systems and logging of security events to ensure traceability.