New maritime cybersecurity body launches
The International Maritime Cyber Security Organisation (IMCSO) has launched with the goal of raising the level of cybersecurity risk assessment throughout the marine industry.
The IMCSO has initiated a security consultant certification system and a professional registration to help marine firms confidently pick qualified individuals. Along with this, the IMCSO will review report outputs to guarantee consistency, which will then be stored in a single database and made available to authorities and third parties that need to establish a vessel’s risk status.
The new organisation will reportedly establish an official supplier register to document approved cybersecurity vendors specialising in marine cybersecurity. In addition, it will maintain a risk register database containing the results of ship assessments and audits, and standardise report outputs to avoid misunderstandings that may arise from using multiple approaches.
This information will be used to inform the International Maritime Organization (IMO), shipbuilders, insurers, and management companies of industry trends, providing a valuable service currently lacking for other service and insurance providers.
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Campbell Murray, CEO of IMCSO, explained: “Cybersecurity has been mandated by the IMO, which requires shipping companies to implement measures to protect their onboard safety management systems and to regularly audit them.
“However, the change in legislation has given rise to a new maritime cyber security industry that has proven to be variable in its approach to assessing systems and interpreting the standards.”
Caroline Yang, President of the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA), a trade association representing the interests of over 500 Singapore-based companies, said: “The independent validation of cybersecurity professionals offered by the IMCSO will help our members to select cybersecurity testers in a much more efficient way, ensuring they allow personnel onboard with the requisite experience. It will make it much easier to comply with the IMO mandate and will prove an invaluable resource.”
