Maritime cyber course

New course aimed at everyone from board level to crew.

“Be Cyber Aware at Sea” the first GCHQ Certified Training (GCT) Approved Course for Seafarers & Offshore Crew.

JWC International, a specialist maritime training company and leading provider of training and consultancy services to the maritime industry, is proud to announce the formal accreditation by GCHQ Certified Training (GCT) for the first Maritime Cyber Security Awareness (MCSA) course. The course which supports the “Be Cyber Aware at Sea” initiative has been designed and developed in conjunction with the guidelines provided by the largest international shipping association BIMCO, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Intercargo and Intertanko, and with inputs from Company Security Officers (CSO) and Chief Information Officers (CIO) of some of the global leaders in the Maritime Industry. The course has the full support of the CSO Alliance which has been formed as forum in which CSO’s are able to anonymously report cybercrime activities and incidents in their fleet across the worldwide.

The Maritime Cyber Security Awareness (MCSA) “Be Cyber Aware at Sea” course has been designed with modules specifically for any member of a shipping company from the board room to the engine room. It is designed to build awareness and knowledge into the potential cyber threats and challenges being targeted at an industry, which remains very reliant on technology, from nautical charts and engine control systems through to cargo manifests and crew welfare terminals that connect to email and social media. This course originates from mariners concerns and case studies which have recently plagued the Merchant Marine fleet and provides a set of easy to follow guidelines through its “Be Cyber Aware at Sea” handbook. If these simple steps are implemented, then the vessel crew is 80% less likely to fall victim to cyber-attack breeches.

“The course offers a realistic and practical insight into day to day threats posed to our international merchant mariners. A well trained and vigilant crew, supported by a set of procedures and processes on the vessel are some of the most important defences against cyber security incidents’’ – Commodore Geoffrey Billson RN (Retd)

Jordan Wylie, Principal Consultant at JWC International had the following to say:
“Where incidents of cyber security related criminality are becoming better reported, and the losses to the insurance market are starting to increase due to business interruption policy pay outs, it is only a matter of time until classification societies have to take seriously the risks poised to vessels from cyber security related incidents. Where the current gaps exist in education and awareness of the crews and management teams, JWC have been able to design and accredit a course on how to be aware, and be alert to these threats as well as mitigate the risks posed. We are delighted to be the first GCHQ Certified Training (GCT) provider to support the marine insurance market, the ship owner’s clubs and the classification societies with a course underpinned by the UK Governments Cyber best practise’’

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