BIMCO and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) have published a new cyber security workbook meant to serve as a guide for the master and officers on board ships and thereby help them prepare for a potential cyber incident.

The digitalisation of maritime operations and the reliance on technology and network connectivity for daily onboard and on shore operations means that shipping is vulnerable to the threat of cyber incidents.

To help crew prepare, both on the bridge and in the engine room, the new “Cyber Security Workbook for On Board Ship Use” includes several checklists of how to protect, detect, respond and recover from a cyber incident, and thereby offers a practical and easy to use guide for the master and the officers.

BIMCO is continuously raising awareness to shipowners on issues such as the cyber threat and helps lead the work by issuing industry guidelines to assist companies in formulating their own approaches to cyber risk management onboard. Based on contributions by BIMCO, IMO recently decided to identify cyber risks as specific threats, which companies should try to address to the same extend as any other risk that may affect the safe operation of a ship and protection of the environment. Guidance on these issues can be found in the Guidelines on Cyber Security Onboard Ships.

To protect multimillion-dollar floating assets, cyber risk should be managed as any other risk that may affect the safe operation of a ship and jeopardize the protection of the environment.  The new workbook gives an easy introduction to incorporating cyber security into the ship’s management system.

“Cyber security risk management is not just an IT issue. Managing the complex interactions between technology and humans correctly will be key to avoid a cyber incident, and to recover from them, should an incident happen,” says Aron Frank Sørensen, Head of Maritime Technology and Regulation at BIMCO.

“I see the workbook as a valuable tool that will help officers manage cyber risks while carrying out their daily routines on board,” Sørensen says.