The digitalization of the maritime industry continues to accelerate as new integrated systems, increasing automation, and continuous connectivity are being used to enhance efficiency, boost safety, and improve sustainability. But as the number integrated and connected systems and vessels increase, so too does the threat of remote attacks that can impact critical on-board control systems. These new threats make cyber security a vital tool to reducing risk and led to the release of DNV’s cyber secure class rules and notations. And as recognition of the new risk picture has climbed, more owners and operators are choosing an additional voluntary cyber security verification.

“The mission of Pleiades Shipping is to provide our customers with safe, environmentally sound and efficient services,” says Miltos Synefias, Technical Director at Pleiades Shipping. “We in Pleiades have realised the values of digitalisation since a couple of years ago. Today digital transformation still goes on and opens for new ways to further improve both efficiency and safety. During this time, we have seen the necessity to also set up a robust environment to safeguard the reliability and quality of information, data transfer, and communications, and our IT and HSQE departments have developed our systems and skills accordingly. Today we see Cyber security as a key element to ensure that we can make use of this new technology in a safe and secure way and have taken with pleasure the decision to assign all our four new built vessels with additional voluntary cyber security verification to meet growing requirements of our charterers in this very demanding trading field.”

“For DNV to continue to support the Greek maritime community as we have for the last 100 years, we need to be aware of emerging risks and constantly work to provide solutions to address them,” said Ioannis Chiotopoulos, Regional Manager South-East Europe, Middle East & Africa. “This is why we are so pleased to be able to recognize the foresight of Pleiades Shipping, in opting for the Cyber secure class notation. The notation offers a way for owners and operators to demonstrate that they recognize and are taking steps to improve their cyber resilience, as these threats continue to grow in number and sophistication. Last year, some 20% of DNV classed newbuilds chose to work towards an extra cyber security verification, and with new requirements incoming we expect this will continue to grow.”

While cyber risk regulations like IMO 2021 require owners, operators, and managers, to consider overall cyber risks, to date there have been limited concrete requirements for establishing cyber security barriers in system and vessel design. This will now change as the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) recently published its new Unified Requirements for cyber security, UR E26 and UR E27, which will become mandatory for classed ships and offshore installations contracted for construction on or after 1 January 2024.

These new requirements will simplify the challenge ship owners and operators face when ordering cyber secure vessels, as the new URs will oblige both yards and system suppliers to proactively address cyber risks in their designs. The new requirements are based on recognized international standards for control system cyber security, IEC 62443, and are fully aligned with DNV’s current class notations for cyber security.