The following article focuses on how ClassNK is supporting the maritime community at its transition into a “Big Data” industry. The classification society provides platforms to reap the benefits, while at the same time protects data security.
Big Data has been called “the oil of 21st century” to emphasize the wide spread of data flows brought about by the new era of digitization. With 90% of all data in the world being created in the last two years alone, and the ‘Internet of Things’ expected to comprise between 20-40 billion devices by 2020 depending on who is doing the forecasting, keeping pace with data flows is certainly likely to be challenging.
Once considered as a very “low data” industry, the maritime industry is slowly waking up to the new digital age. Remote access monitoring, condition-based maintenance, data analytics and forecasting are significantly improving and optimizing numerous functions in operations and ship management. As a result, the international shipping industry is beginning to embrace the tangible opportunities that the growth of big data presents.
Nevertheless, while more shipping companies are willing to share information with a view to reaping the benefits of big data, the approach to data capture remains very fragmented. Similar data is routinely sent to several vendors and analysis is still being carried out almost entirely on a ship-by-ship basis, in processes that are both time-consuming and inefficient.
The classification society has established Ship Data Center as a separate entity from ClassNK, consisting of a secured shipping operations database serving as an independent information hub to manage the use of big data in the maritime industry.
Data will be collected from multiple vessels, regardless of class or company, through data collection devices onboard including ClassNK’s planned maintenance and automatic diagnosis system CMAXS and will remain accessible only by individuals qualified by Ship Data Center, according to agreed permissions. Companies will be free to choose what they want to share and to specify whether they want it shared with engine makers, equipment manufacturers, shipyards or other stakeholders who might benefit.
“As a platform for big data analysis, the opportunities of the Data Center are endless: from automatic vessel performance monitoring to voyage and fuel consumption data analysis, the Center could also be used to generate reports and help engine makers arrange replacement parts or use data to improve designs”, says Takashi Nagatome, Representative Director of ClassNK’s Tokyo-based Ship Data Center.
However, as maritime evolves into a Big Data industry, the security challenges related to the proliferation of data also increase. In 2014, the Center for Strategic and International Studies and McAfee estimated that cybercrime cost the global economy US$445 billion. Businesses in all industries and of all sizes have been affected by the increased complexity, ingenuity and persistence of cyberattacks.
The maritime response to what is perceived as one of the most serious threats to US economic and national security interests saw the United States Coast Guard (USCG) recently publish its ‘Cyber Strategy’ to facilitate a greater understanding of the maritime threats, while directing the formulation of best practices for an organization in managing cyber risks. BIMCO and other shipping associations have released a set of guidelines to curb cyber security threats, a first for the shipping industry, which will be submitted to MSC 96 in June for the IMO’s consideration.
In 2014, ClassNK teamed up with the United States Maritime Resource Center (USMRC) located in Rhode Island, to better understand current and evolving cyber security challenges posed by Big Data across the marine transportation system. The classification society is actively working in close collaboration with software providers and maritime cyber security research centers like USMRC to develop a cutting-edge system that pushes the industry forward and provide solutions.
USMRC has been so focused on its evidence-based Maritime Cyber AssuranceSM research on board ships and in marine terminals. Its discoveries expose outdated and unpatched operating systems, very poor system architecture design, improper user access, poor file transfer procedures, and lack of cyber awareness by mariners and marine terminal employees.
“The greatest challenge presented by big data is understanding the full scope of risks involved in the exchange of information among interconnected shipboard and shore-based systems. As ships continue to feature more automation and the natural human dependency on that automation becomes more common, the industry must ensure it takes proactive measures to understand and protect itself from potential cyber disruptions”, says Brian T. Holden, USMRC President.
According to USMRC, classification should take a leading role in the implementation of maritime cyber assurance standards for equipment, software and integrated industrial control systems. Implementation of these standards will serve not only to protect big data usage but also contribute to supporting the uninterrupted operation of marine engineering, cargo management and navigation functions. Most importantly, class should develop auditing standards, or “train the cyber auditor”, based on real research, to effectively assist the industry with a transformation of its culture and awareness.
Mr. Holden further suggests that
“USMRC is already developing a way ahead with ClassNK as a derivative of USMRC’s globally recognized Maritime Cyber AssuranceSM research that will integrate maritime cyber assurance best practices into the new ClassNK Ship Data Center. We expect the outcome of this collaboration will result in ClassNK taking a leading role in the safe and secure exchange of Big Data.”
Source & Image Credit: ClassNK
