Smart shipping safety and cyber assurance

Trailblazing clean maritime
Smart shipping

Smart shipping safety and cyber assurance

Trailblazing clean maritime
Project title: Smart shipping safety and cyber assurance
Funded by: Department for Transport, Innovate UK, secured through the Smart Shipping Acceleration Fund
Funding amount: £286,000
Project duration: 2024–2025 (5 months)
Project partners: RAD Propulsion (lead), University of Plymouth, D-RisQ
University of Plymouth staff: Dr Kimberly Tam, Wesley Andrews, Avanthika Vineetha Harish, David Bowman, Sarah Fear
 
This feasibility study aims to identify potential cyber and safety vulnerabilities in current small boat (<150 kW) electric propulsion and control technologies, and to develop a roadmap outlining the tools and techniques needed to assess and mitigate these vulnerabilities in the future. This work is crucial for enabling the wider adoption of decarbonisation technologies within the maritime industry.
 
The shift towards electrification, digitisation, and autonomy in the maritime sector has transformed traditionally closed and isolated mechanical systems into ones that increasingly rely on software and external connectivity. This shift exposes these systems to new vulnerabilities, including threats to digital cyber security and overall safety.
Cyber security and safety assurance will be critical to unlocking the potential of the rapidly emerging marine electrification market, which is already valued at £4.5 billion per year. Ensuring the integrity of these systems is particularly important for government users, large corporations, and safety-critical industries.
Woman sat at computer in cyber-SHIP lab conducting cyber security measures on a screen that says 'virus alert'
 

Project objectives

  • Cyber security and safety testing: Through rigorous testing, the project will identify vulnerabilities and propose secure design practices for electric propulsion systems.
  • Development of assurance tools: Tools and techniques for the future development of safe and secure electric maritime technologies will be created, offering clear guidance for industry stakeholders.
  • Safety benchmarking: The system's software will be benchmarked against established safety practices, ensuring it meets industry standards.
  • Roadmap for safe smart shipping: A detailed roadmap will outline the steps necessary to develop and deploy safe, secure, and scalable electric propulsion systems for the maritime industry.
  • Trial demonstration: A future trial will showcase the application of the proposed safety and cyber security processes in a realistic operational setting.
 

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