Leading Classification Society ClassNK has released its “Guidelines for Designing Cyber Security Onboard Ships” (Second Edition) for newbuilding designs targeting shipyards and ship-building owners

In the second edition of the “Guidelines for Designing Cyber Security Onboard Ships”, the control measures and the framework to implement such measures were updated to incorporate the international cyber security standards for industrial control systems IEC 62443 series and the latest recommendation on cyber resilience for new ships (Rec. No. 166) published by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) in May 2020. In addition, they introduced requirements for adding class notations to classification codes related to cyber security.

Based on the ClassNK Cyber Security Approach which outlines the Society’s basic approach to ensuring onboard cyber security for ships, the guidelines are a compilation of current best practices for newbuilding designs by shipyards and shipbuilding owners from the perspective of identifying computer systems that should be protected from cyber incidents and of building networks to protect them.

ClassNK will carry out cyber security verification during the design and construction stage of newbuildings based on the guidelines and issue a class notation to compliant ships in response to applications for registration inspection during manufacturing by shipyards. The guidelines are available to download free of charge via ClassNK’s website www.classnk.com for those who have registered for the ClassNK “My Page” service. To register for the “My Page” service, go to the ClassNK website www.classnk.com and click on the “My Page Login” button.