ABS, provider of classification and technical services to the offshore and marine industries, has issued the first Integrated Software Quality Management (ISQM) Product Design Assessment (PDA) Certificate in the Asia-Pacific region for Industrial Control Systems software to Singapore-based Excel Marco, a premier solutions provider for process automation and safety systems for the marine and offshore industries.

“As the industry continues to advance automation, it is critical to ensure the security of control systems,” says ABS Cyber Services Director Paul Walters. “We have invested significant resources to develop solutions, and we are pleased to see Excel Marco leading industry in the adoption of the ABS CyberSafety® Software Provider Conformity Program (SPCP).”

The SPCP assess 81 requirements and best practices to improve delivered software quality and integrity. Excel Marco is ISO 9001: 2015 certified, so implementing the SPCP process is straightforward because it takes a similar approach to software integrity assessments. Policies and procedures are reviewed, and personnel are interviewed to ensure compliance to policy. Client software quality assurance processes are aligned to those defined in the ABS Guidance Notes on Software Provider Conformity Program, and gaps are identified and addressed. The program leverages more than 50 years of specialised knowledge of software development best practices. The certificate of assessment is valid for two years.

“Working with ABS gives our clients confidence that our systems are reliable,” says Excel Marco CEO David Ong. “The ISQM PDA certificate reflects our focus on quality and safety and shows that we’ve been proactive in avoiding unplanned downtime caused by software and system issues.”

The ABS CyberSafety program team has more than 200 years of combined experience with information and operational technologies encompassing cybersecurity, software integrity and software testing.

Tags: ABS, Excel Marco