The International Chamber of Shipping is ready to deliver two new initiatives to help the shipping industry address the continuing challenges brought by the digital revolution of the maritime sector.
Aimed at the decision maker, the latest edition of the ICS Leadership Insights Series of webinars, The Digitalisation of Shipping, will focus on the how technology is affecting the infrastructure of the industry. The event will explore the effect of COVID-19 on the pace of change; the reach of new technologies; the rate of adoption across the industry; and the training and skill sets that future seafarers will need.
At an operational level the downside to the digital revolution is the increasing vulnerability of an operator to cyber-attack. With internet connectivity on board becoming common and ships’ systems increasingly digitised and integrated, ships are now a common target for hackers. Therefore, it is crucial that the entire crew has an understanding of how and when cyber-attacks can occur.
For this reason, ICS has joined with BIMCO and Witherbys to launch the second edition of the Cyber Security Workbook for On Board Ship Use, which provides a ship’s crew with the practical means to identify cyber risks and to protect vulnerable onboard systems.
Using detailed, step by step checklists, Cyber Security Workbook for On Board Ship Use provides a ship’s crew with the practical skills to identify cyber risks and to protect vulnerable onboard systems. It also gives guidance on how best to detect, respond and recover in the event of a cyber attack.
This workbook is an essential tool, says ICS, as it will prepare a crew for IMO Resolution 428(98), which states that, from 2021, a vessel’s safety management system (SMS) will need take into account cyber risk management in accordance with the objectives and functional requirements of the ISM Code. Member governments have also been encouraged to ensure that safety management systems address cyber risks no later than the first annual verification of the Document of Compliance after 1 January 2021.
Guy Platten, Secretary General of ICS, commented:
The digital revolution in the maritime industry brings with it not only opportunities, but also responsibilities. In today’s turbulent times the shipowner has many day-to-day challenges to contend with, but the strategic and practical consequences of the ever-increasing digitalisation of shipping cannot be ignored