Business Sectors
Business Sectors
Events
Contents
Register to read more articles.
Cyber resilience class guidelines released by major Asian society
Shipowners, operators and builders can find guidance on improving the cyber resilience of newbuild ships and onboard equipment following changes in class rules in July 2024
ClassNK has published Guidelines for cyber resilience of ships to provide insight into the latest changes to requirements for newbuild vessels and onboard networks.
This guidance from the Japanese classification society explains the new unified requirements (UR) from the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) for enhancing cyber resilience at a time when online threats are rising and IT integrity is in the spotlight.
IACS is supporting the implementation of measures to ensure the cyber security of ships. It has established UR E26 for ships and UR E27 for onboard systems and equipment, setting minimum requirements for cyber resilience.
These URs aim to reduce the occurrence and mitigate the effects of cyber incidents due to cyber attacks or other threats. Under IACS rules, these must be applied to new ships contracted for construction on or after 1 July 2024.
UR E26 aims to ensure the secure integration of both operational technology (OT), information technology (IT) and equipment in a vessel’s network, during the design, construction, commissioning and operational life of the ship.
This UR targets the ship as a collective entity for cyber resilience and covers five key aspects: equipment identification, protection, attack detection, response and recovery.
UR E27 aims to ensure system integrity is secured and hardened by third-party equipment suppliers.
ClassNK said this UR provides requirements for cyber resilience of onboard systems and equipment and provides additional requirements relating to the interface between users and computer-based systems on board, as well as product design and development requirements for new devices before their installation on board vessels.
The class society has incorporated these requirements in Part X of its Rules for the Survey and Construction of Steel Ships, which covers computer-based systems.
It is also within ClassNK’s Guidance for the Approval and Type Approval of Materials and Equipment for Marine Use, which applies to tests and inspections of materials and equipment for marine use for which advance approval or type approval by ClassNK is required by the relevant requirements in its rules.
All these guidelines support shipbuilders, shipowners and shipmanagement companies, equipment developers, manufacturers and suppliers to implement cyber resilience.
ClassNK has set up a portal site aggregating related information to support clients in smoothly responding to requirements relating to cyber resilience and has been providing information through it.
It covers the application scope of the rules, approval process, required documents and surveys with downloadable documents.
Connect with industry leaders across the Asian and Middle Eastern maritime sectors through Riviera’s premium events. Located conveniently in Singapore, we provide unparalleled access to the heart of the Asian maritime market.
Related to this Story
Events
Maritime Regulations Webinar Week
16 Dec 2025
GMT - ONLINE
Floating energy: successfully unlocking stranded gas using FLNGs and FSRUs
24 Feb 2026GMT - ONLINE
© 2026 Riviera Maritime Media Ltd.
