Insight
Improving Safety Onboard Ships: IACS Puts Cybersecurity on the Roadmap
UR E26 includes 19 requirements that classification societies need to be aware of from design to operation depending on the stage of the ship’s lifecycle. Each stakeholder is responsible for meeting the predefined tasks per cyber requirement as defined below.
- Approve. The document shall be submitted to Class Society for approval
- Check. The Surveyor shall verify the availability and update status of the document
- Info. The document shall be submitted to Class Society for information
- Maintain. The indicated stakeholder shall keep the document up to date and aligned with the actual implementation of CBSes, networks and risk mitigation measures
- Make available. The indicated stakeholder shall make documentation available to the Surveyor
- Provide. The indicated stakeholder shall provide the documentation
The requirements are primarily met through the delivery of documented evidence and each stakeholder has different responsibilities depending on the ship’s operational lifecycle.
Moving Forward
For the maritime industry, these new requirements (UR E26 and UR E27) are a way to implement cyber resiliency uniformly across fleets. Although these requirements are non-mandatory for ships already in operation, shipowners should consider the adoption of these requirements in their existing fleets. The implementation of operational cyber resiliency on today’s fleet will better prepare them for the 1 January 2024 deadline, and better facilitate the process adaptation for new construction, making it easier to maintain across the entire fleet in the long run.
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