How a Vessel Lithium Battery Solution Provider Adopted MG460 and RCMS Stack Marine for E26 & E27 Compliance with Minimal R&D Efforts
Background:
In recent years, the adoption of lithium batteries in the maritime market has significantly grown, marking a major trend in the industry. This growth is primarily driven by the impressive return on investment (ROI) that lithium batteries offer, while surpassing traditional lead-acid batteries with their higher energy density, extended lifespan, and ecological benefits. Moreover, lithium batteries support modern vessels with reliable and continuous power supply for electric propulsion systems, automation, and IoT applications, further accelerating their adoption in the maritime industry. Due to the critical nature of lithium batteries, their Battery Management Systems (BMS) must maintain constant connectivity to onshore cloud services to monitor battery status, optimize performance, and ensure safety[1].
Against this backdrop, a vessel lithium battery solution provider was challenged to quickly adapt and meet the IACS UR E26 and E27 cybersecurity standards, which have become mandatory for ensuring the digital security of maritime operations. The provider sought an efficient and dependable solution to achieve compliance without significant R&D investments.
Challenges:
- Rapid UR E26 & E27 Compliance: The provider urgently needed to ensure their solutions complied with the IACS UR E26 and E27 standards. This required integrating advanced cybersecurity features into their products, while simultaneously maintaining a streamlined and effective compliance process.
- Minimized R&D Efforts: To remain competitive in a challenging market, the company aimed to achieve compliance with minimal R&D efforts, which would result in significant time and cost savings.
Solution
Confronted with these challenges, the provider chose Robustel's MG460 and RCMS Stack Marine solutions as the ideal response.
- Integration of MG460: The MG460 was integrated into their lithium battery management system, utilizing its extensive interfaces such as RS485, I/O, and Ethernet to connect various onboard equipment. This setup allowed the battery system to maintain connectivity via 4G LTE near shore and automatically switch to satellite communication when offshore.
- Data Processing in the Internal DMZ: The provider deployed their software within the internal DMZ of the MG460, leveraging its substantial computing power for local data processing within a secure zone protected by antivirus software. This setup met the requirements of UR E27 standards, offering robust edge computing capabilities without the need for expensive external marine PCs and thus lowering costs.
- Remote Management with RCMS Stack Marine: The RCMS Stack Marine platform provided remote monitoring, firmware updates, and configuration management of devices, offering the provider flexibility in managing their fleet from any location at any time. This functionality was crucial for maintaining operational efficiency and a quick response to any issue.
- Secure VPN Communication: The RCMS Stack Marine also offered VPN-based direct communication between the MG460 and service engineers. The vessel's captain and crew can control the connection's enablement and disablement via a physical switch, ensuring compliance with IEC61162-460 ed.3 standards.
Solution Architecture
Solution Components
MG460 Maritime Cyber Security Gateway
As the world's first product to receive IEC61162-460 (Ed. 3) type approval from DNV as well as 460-Gateway and 460-Wiresless Gateway, the MG460 not only meets the highest cybersecurity standards for maritime navigation and wireless communication systems but also complies with IEC60945, meeting SOLAS vessel standards.
Device & Network Management Platform
Through RCMS Stack Marine, users can monitor the operational status and network connectivity of devices in real time, enabling timely problem identification and resolution. Furthermore, it provides VPN network services that comply with IEC61162-460 standards (direct communication mode), ensuring the security and integrity of data transmission.
Solution Benefits
Comprehensive Device Management:
The RCMS Stack Marine's real-time monitoring and diagnostic tools allowed engineers to troubleshoot remotely, eliminating the need for on-site visits and enhancing the efficiency of global device management.
Support for Secure Development Lifecycle:
As an IEC62443-4-1 certified company, Robustel provided continuous support to meet the secure development lifecycle requirements outlined in the UR E26 and E27 standards.
Enhanced Edge Computing Capabilities:
By utilising the MG460's internal DMZ, the provider avoided the need for expensive external industrial marine PCs, thereby benefiting from robust edge computing capabilities.
Rapid Market Deployment:
The provider quickly attained UR E26 and E27 compliance by incorporating both MG460 and RCMS Stack Marine into their systems, while not undergoing major changes to their products. This helped them rapidly launch a compliant solution to the market with minimal R&D efforts, reducing time and costs.
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