Maritime News

In April 2022, the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) released two new Unified Requirements relating to cyber resilience on board marine vessels:

IACS UR E26 – Cyber Resilience of Ships

IACS UR E27 – Cyber Resilience of On-Board Systems and Equipment

Both of these requirements have an entry into force date for new construction vessels that have a contract signing on or after January 1, 2024. Upon this entry into force date, these requirements will be mandatory for new construction ships and offshore vessels.

Shipping is increasingly digitalised and interconnected. As traditional maritime operations are replaced with autonomous and computerised processes, cyber security vulnerabilities become more prevalent.

Recognising that cyber incidents on vessels can have a direct and detrimental impact on life, property, and the environment, IACS has steadily increased its focus on the reliability and functional effectiveness of onboard, safety-critical, computer-based systems.

This Marine Notice (MN) outlines the position of the Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA) with respect to establishing policies and procedures for mitigating maritime cyber risk.

Cyber risks should be appropriately addressed in safety management systems no later than the first annual verification of the company’s ISM Document of Compliance after 01 January 2021, as indicated in IMO Resolution MSC. 428(98).