Russian Maritime Register of Shipping issues Guidelines on Cyber Safety
Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) says it has issued the Guidelines on Cyber Safety (the Guidelines).
The document is accessible at rs-class.org in the RS Publications section and enters into force on January 1, 2021.
The new document introduces recommendations on design, manufacture, maintenance and testing of the shipboard computer based systems covering design and construction stages of ships contracted for construction starting from the document’s entry into force date. The document also contains requirements on cyber safety of a ship in operation including the requirement for maritime cyber risk management in safety management systems (SMS) which shall be taken into account not later than at the first annual verification of a Document of Compliance after January 1, 2021.
The Guidelines result from the activities of a special working group on cyber safety, established by RS in May 2020, that joined forces of RS with representatives of Gazprom Fleet, Sovcomflot, Kronshtadt Technologies, Navis, Phoenix Contact RUS, Wartsila Digital Technologies and АВВ. The Document is based upon the IMO resolution MSC.428(98) requirements, the provisions of IMO circular MSC-FAL.1/Circ.3 Guidelines on Maritime Cyber Risk Management, IACS Recommendation No. 166 (Recommendation on Cyber Resilience). The text also considers the proposals of the working group members balancing the interests of all parties: developers of shipboard systems, shipping companies and the classification society.
“Today, the maritime transport is being rapidly transformed in the context of the new technology development and digitalization process: e-navigation, automation of management processes, software is integrated into practically each shipboard system – communication, cargo management, navigation, propulsion, electric supply. The development of the new guidelines is aimed at minimization of ship’s vulnerability in terms of cyberattacks, malicious software, and, as a consequence, at the enhancement of the safety of shipping,” comments Head of the RS Electrical Engineering and Automation Systems Department and chair of the working group Vladimir Vikulin.
