Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, has released a new, free of charge report covering new International Maritime Organization obligations and their implications for cruise ship and ferry professionals. The obligations enter into force next year and the report aims to support owners, managers and captains on compliance as they work to protect passenger ship cyber security.

Published by the Inmarsat Research Programme, Cyber Security requirements for IMO 2021 offers unique insights into Inmarsat’s cyber security experience and examples of real cyberattacks on vessels, providing cruise ship and ferry owners, managers, captains, engineers and technical officers with a guide to the criteria for compliance. By IMO resolution, passenger ship Safety Management Systems must be documented as including cyber risk management under the International Safety Management Code no later than the first annual audit after 1 January 2021.

The 40-page document highlights the way threats continue to adapt and evolve, reporting a fourfold increase in cyberattacks on maritime targets that coincides with the industry’s move to home-based working through the Covid-19 pandemic. It also provides a comprehensive explanation of the often misunderstood distinctions between anti-virus software and network endpoint security.

 

Source: hellenicshippingnews