Overview
IEC 63173-2:2022 is an international standard established by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) focusing on maritime navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems. This part of the IEC 63173 series defines secure communication between ship and shore (SECOM) through standardized data interfaces (APIs). SECOM ensures secure, reliable data exchange by specifying information services with robust information security measures and service discoverability features. Although primarily designed for IHO S-100 based products, SECOM is payload-agnostic, making it suitable for various types of maritime data.
This standard leverages IP-based web services for communication between information services. It does not mandate specific physical or link layer protocols but requires support for IP transport, enabling flexibility in integrating diverse ship-to-shore and shore-to-ship communication technologies. SECOM also supports private and public service implementations and can be applied for ship-to-ship communication.
Key Topics
- Information Service Interfaces: SECOM defines standardized APIs for data upload, download, subscription management, and acknowledgments to facilitate interoperable maritime data exchange.
- Information Security Measures: The standard incorporates digital signatures, encryption, and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of exchanged data.
- SECOM PKI: A dedicated PKI framework supports certificate management, revocation lists (CRL), and online certificate status protocols (OCSP), enhancing trust and security in data communications.
- Communication Channel Security: SECOM mandates secure transfer protocols with authentication procedures while leaving the underlying transport technologies flexible.
- Service Discoverability: Interfaces are provided for discovering available SECOM services, facilitating seamless interaction between ship and shore applications.
- Data Protection: The standard includes guidelines on data compression, packaging, authentication, encryption algorithms, and key management, ensuring end-to-end protection.
- Error Handling: Detailed error case definitions support robust error detection and handling to maintain communication reliability.
Applications
IEC 63173-2:2022 serves as a foundational standard for maritime data exchange systems requiring secure and interoperable communication between ships and shore-based systems. Key applications include:
- Maritime Navigation Systems: Secure transmission of navigational data such as weather updates, route plans, and safety information.
- Radiocommunication Equipment: Encryption and secure exchange of messages between vessels and coastal authorities.
- Port and Cargo Management: Secure data sharing of cargo information and logistics updates in real-time.
- Maritime Security: Implementation of trusted communication channels for monitoring, tracking, and incident management.
- Ship-to-Ship Communication: Secure peer-to-peer data exchange enhancing cooperative maritime operations.
The standard’s flexibility in supporting both public government services and private business applications makes it highly adaptable for modern maritime digital ecosystems.
Related Standards
- IHO S-100 Series: SECOM is primarily designed to complement the IHO S-100 framework for hydrographic and marine geospatial data.
- IEC 61162 Series: Related to maritime navigation and radiocommunication protocols, complementing SECOM’s secure communication approach.
- ISO/IEC 27000 Series: For overarching information security management practices applicable to maritime data communications.
- ITU Maritime Communication Standards: These standards intersect with SECOM regarding ship-shore communication requirements.
Keywords: IEC 63173-2, SECOM, maritime communication standard, ship-to-shore secure data exchange, maritime navigation security, maritime radiocommunication, information security maritime, maritime data interfaces, ship shore communication protocol, maritime PKI, secure maritime data transfer.