Classification society DNV GL has teamed up with Kongsberg, a company specializing in robust technology for demanding markets, to create a new type approval programme that can assess the cyber security of control system components used in connected vessels.
The type approval programme, ‘Security Assessment of Control System Components, DNVGL-CP-0231’, was piloted with the K-IMS system — a core part in Kongsberg’s digital ecosystem Kognifai, which is used to optimize data access and analysis for customers across maritime and energy industries.
Designed in accordance with the principles in IEC 62443-4-2 and IEC 61162-460, the type approval programme focuses on verifying both the technical reliability and cyber security of control systems.
As the shipping industry digitalizes, vessels are becoming sophisticated hubs of connected systems and sensors that generate and exchange data both onboard and back to shore.
This connectivity increases the need for cyber security and for ways of verifying the cyber safety of installed systems.
Roar Simensen, Product Adviser – Connected Vessels & Information management at Kongsberg Maritime AS (left), receives the new type approval from Knut Omberg, Principal Engineer at DNV GL – Maritime (right)
Bent Erik Bjørkli, VP Digital Performance at Kongsberg Maritime, said: “At Kongsberg we have been delivering solutions for remote support and data collection for many years.
“Over the last few years, however, we have seen an increasing focus from our customers in the cyber security of the connected systems on their vessels.
“This was why we were so interested to work together with DNV GL on the development of the new type approval.
“With the new type approval, we can now demonstrate the security of our systems through an independent verification process.”
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Odd Magne Nesvåg, Head of Control Systems at DNV GL – Maritime, said: “We would like to thank Kongsberg for choosing to work with us on this project, and we are very pleased that K-IMS is the first product to have received the new type approval.
“With the new ‘Security Assessment of Control System Components’ type approval programme, we have developed a rigorous certification regime to demonstrate the cyber security capability of onboard systems.
“By choosing this new voluntary type approval for their systems, maritime vendors now have a way to show their customers they meet a set of independently developed and verified quality standards in an area that is becoming ever more important in today’s connected maritime industry.”
