North Star offshore windfarm support vessels certified to IACS cyber-resilience standards 

“Being the first to certify our newbuilds under these new IACS standards demonstrates our commitment to safe, smart and sustainable offshore operations,” said North Star chief executive Gitte Gard Talmo. 

“Working in partnership with Vard and Lloyd’s Register has been instrumental to this process, and I am proud of North Star’s IT and special projects team’s drive to advance our CSOVs’ cyber resilience, positioning us ahead of the curve as the sector evolves.” 

Grampian Kestrel was undertaking sea trials near Ulsteinvik, Norway, near the end of April, before sailing to begin its contract at EnBW’s He Dreiht windfarm project in Germany. Grampian Eagle is still at the shipyard, preparing for a contract starting in July. 

As part of the cyber resilience certification process, all mission-critical systems on the CSOVs were assessed against LR’s cyber-resilience classification criteria.  

“That is why our newbuilds are equipped to withstand, recover from, and adapt to cyber incidents”

Dynamic positioning software and the complex control systems connected to the Voith Schneider propulsion units were both assessed. 

Starlink communications terminals are installed on these vessels to improve onboard connectivity. The unnamed satellite communications service distributor is providing added layers of cyber security to protect crew and vessel systems. 

“Cyber resilience is no longer optional, it is essential,” said North Star’s chief technology officer, James Bradford. “That is why our newbuilds are equipped to withstand, recover from and adapt to cyber incidents,” he explained.  

“This means our clients can rely on an uninterrupted, secure service and consistent performance, ensuring their operations and maintenance projects remain on schedule and protected from cyber threats.” 

Mr Bradford said IT and special-projects teams worked closely with LR to align with IACS UR E26 and UR E27 standards, “across every layer of our CSOVs’ onboard and connected software systems to ensure they are inherently secure, class-compliant, and resilient against cyber threats.” 

This approach forms a key part of North Star’s “long-term vision to transition from traditional systems to fully digitalised, secure-by-design vessel operations,” said Mr Bradford.