Hanwha’s FPSO cyber resilience solution gains ABS approval

June 27, 2025, by Dragana Nikše

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) classification society has granted an approval in principle (AIP) for new cyber technology developed by South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean to increase the safety of floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) units.

Miguel Hernandez, ABS Senior Vice President, Global Offshore, with Philippe Levy, President, Offshore Business, Hanwha Ocean; Source: ABS

In partnership with SIGA Data Security, Hanwha developed an operational technology (OT) cybersecurity solution designed to protect critical OT systems from cyber threats, thus enhancing the overall cyber resilience of FPSO units.

“Together, under this agreement, ABS and Hanwha Ocean are using our collective resources and extensive experience to address challenges unique to offshore energy production. As connectivity improves for offshore assets, the cyber risks increase. This new OT solution promises to help operators address vulnerabilities in their critical operations systems,” noted Miguel Hernandez, Senior Vice President of Global Offshore at ABS.

According to Hanwha, the OT cyber solution is part of a multi-year offshore technology collaboration agreement with ABS. The two are working together on a series of state-of-the-art projects encompassing the areas of sustainability, digitalization, artificial intelligence, and operational technology cybersecurity.

Philippe Levy, President of Offshore at Hanwha Ocean, noted that this marks a significant step forward for his company. In addition to reinforcing Hanwha Ocean’s competitive positioning in FPSO bids, where robust cybersecurity measures are essential, he believes the AIP underscores the company’s commitment to innovation and operational resilience in offshore environments.

“Our strategic partnership with ABS and SIGA enables us to offer validated, leading-edge cybersecurity solutions that provide enhanced process-level visibility, real-time threat detection, and effective remote operational oversight, all fully aligned with stringent offshore industry compliance standards and segmentation architectures,” said Levy.

A little over two months ago, Hanwha disclosed having won another AiP from ABS. This one referred to its advanced hull monitoring system, which the Korean firm says is designed to estimate structural damage to ships and offshore assets during operation.