  This paper presents a novel Cyber-Hardware-in-the-Loop (Cyber-HIL) platform
for assessing control operation in ship cyber-physical systems. The proposed
platform employs cutting-edge technologies, including Docker containers,
real-time simulator $OPAL-RT$, and network emulator $ns3$, to create a secure
and controlled testing and deployment environment for investigating the
potential impact of cyber attack threats on ship control systems. Real-time
experiments were conducted using an advanced load-shedding controller as a
control object in both synchronous and asynchronous manners, showcasing the
platform's versatility and effectiveness in identifying vulnerabilities and
improving overall Ship Cyber Physical System (SCPS) security. Furthermore, the
performance of the load-shedding controller under cyber attacks was evaluated
by conducting tests with man-in-the-middle (MITM) and denial-of-service (DoS)
attacks. These attacks were implemented on the communication channels between
the controller and the simulated ship system, emulating real-world scenarios.
The proposed Cyber-HIL platform provides a comprehensive and effective approach
to test and validate the security of ship control systems in the face of cyber
threats.
