London P&I Club issues guide to ECDIS management

THE London P&I Club has joined forces with London Offshore Consultants (LOC) to produce a guide to the proper management of ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System) on board ships.

The driving force behind the publication, ‘Is your ECDIS contributing to safe navigation or introducing risk?’ is the increasing number of negative findings recorded by the club during ship inspections which are attributable to the manner in which the introduction of ECDIS on ships is being managed.

In the latest issue of its StopLoss Bulletin, the club notes that the more common failings identified include a lack of ECDIS content in the watch handover checklist, a lack of familiarity on behalf of bridge-watchkeeping officers with the manual position-fixing method, a lack of GPS position cross-checking, a lack of understanding of the safe application of deep-contour, safety-depth, shallow contour and safety contour, and a failure to revise the Safety Management System (SMS) to include ECDIS.

The club says, “The introduction of ECDIS can easily be assumed to be a simple application of beneficial technology. Indeed, it is a powerful navigational tool which, when well-managed and in the hands of well-trained and motivated users, can bring various enhancements to navigational safety. However, managers should ensure that the users of such systems, while potentially experienced navigators, are able to apply vital navigation skills such as manual position-fixing and parallel indexing in the ECDIS environment.

“While the skills of an experienced navigator can be presumed, familiarity with the electronic method of applying the ECDIS equivalent cannot. The importance of type-specific quality training cannot be overstated in ensuring that staff can perform their fundamental navigational tasks. Also, the ‘at a glance’ constantly updated nature of a GPS position, making progress along a planned course line in ECDIS, whilst a useful feature, can encourage the watchkeeping officer to neglect to cross-reference the satellite-derived
position with visual and radar fixes.

“It has become evident that a strong management-of-change policy at the heart of SMS reduces the likelihood of such issues arising. A well-structured SMS policy and a good-quality, type-specific training programme can help avoid navigational safety shortcomings caused by the introduction of technology which ought to enhance safety.”


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Shipping must not underestimate physical risk posed by cyber-attack

THE London P&I Club says the physical risk to ships from cyber-attack may not be

as well understood by shipowners as those threats posed to traditional back-office functions such as accounting, payments and banking.

 

In an article in the club’s latest StopLoss Bulletin, Philip Roche, a partner with Norton Rose Fulbright, notes that good cyber hygiene, up-to-date firewalls, penetration testing and staff training are routinely deployed in the shipping industry to counter the back-office threat. But he warns that the physical risk to ships themselves is less well-understood by owners.

 

“Although it might be said that the risk is currently low”, says Roche, “cyber-attacks potentially pose a serious risk to the overall operability of a ship because of the increasing use of onboard IT, even where there is no single network controlling numerous systems and where internet connectivity is low. Examples of such technologies in common use are the Automated Identification System (AIS), Electronic Chart Display & Information System (ECDIS), Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and E-Navigation Systems (E-Nav).

 

“Although cyber-attacks can occur deliberately, it seems that currently the risk is principally from the inadvertent introduction of viruses and the like into key systems. For example, a crewman charging a mobile phone from a USB port in the ECDIS system causing a virus to render the system entirely inoperable. The ship’s maintenance and propulsion systems are exposed to the same hacking/malware risks and the consequences of cyber-attacks might be potentially severe if key systems are lost at crucial times.”

 

Roche acknowledges that cyber-attacks causing physical damage are still thankfully rare, not least because of the comparative invisibility of shipping to the general public, and the existence of a number of far easier targets for cyber criminals. But he warns that, because ships’ systems are centrally controlled, because connectivity with the shore is continuous, and because maintenance and diagnostics are increasingly carried out via USB ports in equipment, the risk will only increase.

 

Roche concludes, “It is time for shipping to consider these issues proactively. It is a matter of applying tried and trusted risk assessment methodology. Consider the risks, weigh the consequences and put proportionate steps in place to reduce that risk. IT and cyber-attacks are outside most marine professionals’ experience, and so help has to be sought from experienced IT consultants.”

 

 

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London P&I Club warns on need for ECDIS training

THE London P&I Club says the timetable for the mandatory implementation of ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System) is advancing and that owners must take account of the potential risks involved in replacing more traditional means of voyage planning and monitoring with advanced technology.

In the latest issue of its StopLoss Bulletin, the club notes, “Ineffective use of any electronic navigational aid can lead to marine accidents. A causative factor in a number of recent grounding accidents is the incorrect operation of ECDIS. It is essential that the navigator is not only effectively trained in the proper use of ECDIS, but also understands the limitations of the equipment and its primary role as a decision-support system.”

The club adds, “The statutory requirements for ECDIS training are covered in the STCW Convention, the ISM Code and SOLAS Chapter 5. The IMO ECDIS Model Course 1.27 should provide the navigator with the required level of understanding, competence and confidence for application in all aspects of navigation. However, with a vast array of ECDIS manufacturers, there is a challenge for the navigator to reach an acceptable degree of competence in a specific onboard system.

“Familiarisation with type-specific ECDIS, whether provided by the manufacturer, the manufacturer’s agent or a trainer, has been identified as a priority for training. The additional challenge is to ensure that the quality of both generic and familiarisation training is sufficient to reduce the risks associated with this transition to new technology, whilst satisfying the scrutiny of external parties, such as Port State Control, where the focus will be on demonstrating operational competence on the ship’s ECDIS equipment.” www.londonpandi.com