[SHIPPING] 'What systems are at risk?'
'Shell is also taking steps to ensure that its many time charter vessels and voyage charters are Year 2000 compliant. The
company has stated recently that about 80 per cent of the costs they are incurring for Year 2000 problem identification and
remediation are in the area of embedded processors found in their various marine installations, ships and processing facilities.
_________________
'The types of systems which may be affected include:
'embedded processors' or 'chips' and their computer controllers for monitoring and controlling all aspects of ship
functions from the engine room to bridge communications, navigation and control/alarm systems. Similarly, 'chips' will be
found in equipment and systems on shore including cargo handling, elevators, environmental controls and security
systems. ["'Embedded' reflects the fact that they are an integral part of the system. In many cases their embeddedness
may be such that their presence is far from obvious to the casual observer and even the more technically skilled might
need to examine the operation of a piece of equipment for some time before being able to conclude that an embedded
control system was involved in its functioning." (Source: Institute of Electrical Engineers, London "Embedded
Systems and the Year2000 Problem: Guidance Notes, 1997
computers which stand alone (PCs), those which operate in a network or as a central processor for managing various
business and service functions in the marine transportation company's' offices (including logistics and billing) as well as
aboard ships.
software (operating systems and applications programs).
databases readable by 'embedded processors' as well as computers and their software.
a wide variety of electronic mechanical sensors, process controllers, devices and whole systems.
These systems are at risk of losing or overwriting information, other malfunctions, complete failure or, perhaps most importantly
in the case of ships, shutting down the equipment with system controls (e.g. engine room controls, alarms, monitoring systems
and integrated navigation and communication systems).
In a recent draft Marine Guidance Note entitled "Marine Electronic Systems and the Year 2000 Problem", the United Kingdom's
Marine Safety Agency (MSA) - from 1st April 1998, to be known as The Maritime and Coastguard Agency - has also called
attention to the problem of 'embedded processors' The MSA Guidance Notes states: "There has been considerable publicity
about the potential failure of computer systems which are unable to process the changes in year date from 1999 to 2000.
....This publicity has often focused on systems which are recognisable as computers e.g. a 'PC' or mainframe, however, the
problem will also occur with some 'embedded systems' which are used in machinery control, monitoring and automation
equipment. Owners and operators (of ships) are urged to take steps to identify all systems which may prejudice standards of
safety or pollution prevention by failure to process a date change, and to take corrective action in good time". (See 'Key
Views from Relevant Agencies' on this disk (1) for the full text of this document.)
In early 1997, the International Maritime Safety Agency notified all governments world-wide that the 'Millennium Time Bomb'
represented a significant threat to maritime shipping. However, the problem of embedded processors has only recently been
properly identified by responsible bodies such as the UK Institute of Electrical Engineers and US and UK Marine Safety
Agencies. Work began during 1997 to resolve this problem by many large organisations including some shipping companies.
Evidence presented publicly at the end of 1997 and early 1998 by Shell International Trading and Shipping Company with
respect to its tanker fleet, has shown that their largest and most automated ships contain dozens of 'embedded processors'. The
original equipment suppliers told Shell that less than 10 per cent of these were likely to be non-compliant. However, in order to
check if this information was correct, Shell engaged the services of Real-Time Engineering who tested the embedded
processors and found that over 20 per cent of the shipboard systems were non-compliant and approximately 10 per cent more
were suspect for date-related failure or malfunction.
Tests performed by the contractors employed by Shell found embedded chip compliance problems in the following monitoring
and control systems.
navigational systems and equipment
telecommunications systems and equipment
real-time process controls - engine room and cargo monitoring and control systems
networks (LANs)
PCs
other equipment and application systems
Once the specific non-compliant devices have been isolated, the process of upgrading them through reprogramming can often
be done fairly cheaply and quickly by experienced specialists. However, in many cases, reprogramming is proving to be
impractical and specific devices or whole systems are having to be replaced - this is both costly and time consuming.
Shell is also taking steps to ensure that its many time charter vessels and voyage charters are Year 2000 compliant. The
company has stated recently that about 80 per cent of the costs they are incurring for Year 2000 problem identification and
remediation are in the area of embedded processors found in their various marine installations, ships and processing facilities.
AEA Technologies, another specialist engineering consultant which was previously part of the UK Atomic Energy Authority,
has more than 100 consultants and engineers working on Year 2000 projects around the world, including some tanker and
passenger liner shipowners. AEA Technologies has observed real failures - with verified evidence - of embedded processor
systems in ships including:
radar mapping
ballast monitoring
cargo loading
ship performance monitoring
engine room vibration monitor
service aid for ships control system
ship main control system.
AEA suggests that a 'pre-emptive search' and remedial action for items that could cause the shut down of business-critical
systems is a requirement for due diligence on behalf of company directors
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