DNV GL signed a contract with Stena Drilling for the First Cyber Secure class notation. The contract covers the application of the ‘Basic+’ notation to the drillship Stena IceMAX and includes the vessel’s dynamic positioning, drilling, and blowout prevention systems. It will be integrated with Stena Drilling’s own safety management systems.
Mainly, DNV GL’s Cyber Secure class notation sets the base to identify cyber security levels for the main functions of a vessel, when operating or during its construction. In addition, the class notation offers owners and operators a framework to enhance and demonstrate their cyber resilience.
Owners and operators are given the ease to identify threats and to assess and secure additional systems which are crucial for a vessel’s operation.
According to DNV GL’s statement, the Cyber Secure Class notations have three different qualifiers:
- Basic: It is primarily intended for ships in operation;
- Advanced: It has been designed to be applied through the new building process, with requirements for asset owners and operators, system integrators (e.g. yards), and equipment manufacturers;
- + : It is intended for systems that are not part of the default scope of Basic and Advanced.
The Basic and Advanced scopes are used for many important systems of a vessel, such as steering, navigation and power generation.
Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO of DNV GL – Maritime commented
The shipping industry needs to build resilience against cyber-attacks, which have proliferated over the past few years. This becomes even more critical as vessels develop higher degrees of autonomy.
Concluding, Stena Drilling CEO Erik Rønsberg, added that for an owner or operator to be cyber secure, ensures the digital integrity of all vessels, as they also have to make sure that all the necessary safety precautions are being followed, for the safety of the crew and the systems.
