DCSA Releases Cyber-Security Guide

The Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA), a non-profit group of nine major ocean freight carriers, has rolled out its cyber security guidance to prepare shipowners and vessels for the International Maritime Organization’s pending cyber security mandate.

The best practices outlined by DCSA provide all shipping companies with a common language and a manageable, task-based approach for meeting the IMO’s January 2021 implementation timeframe, DCSA said in a statement.

IMO’s Resolution MSC.428(98) on Maritime Cyber Risk Management in Safety Management Systems was adopted in 2017 to ensure that vessels’ cyber risks are appropriately addressed in existing safety management systems.

The guidelines provide high-level recommendations related to maritime cyber risk management in order to protect vessel’s against current and emerging cyber threats and vulnerabilities. The deadline for its implementation is set for January 2021.

The guide aligns with existing BIMCO and NIST (US National Institute of Standards and Technology) cyber risk management frameworks, enabling shipowners to effectively incorporate cyber risk management into their existing Safety Management Systems (SMS).

The DCSA guide gives shipowners the tools they need to help designated technical crew members mitigate the risk of cyber attack, or contain damage (fail safe) and recover in the event of an attack.

“As shipping catches up with other industries such as banking and telco in terms of digitization, the need for cyber risk management becomes an imperative,” said Thomas Bagge, CEO, DCSA.

Thomas added: “Due to the global economic dependence on shipping and the complex interconnectedness of shipping logistics, cyber attacks such as malware, denial of service, and system hacks can not only disrupt one carrier’s revenue stream, they can have a significant impact on the global economy. As a neutral digital standards organization, DCSA is uniquely positioned to help vessel owners mitigate the increasing risk of cyberattack on their ships, and in turn, on the industry at large.”