Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships – International and National Legal Framework

Abstract

The use of autonomous ships in shipping industry is increasingly being analysed and occupies the maritime sector. In the maritime industry, the introduction of autonomous underwater crafts began first this trend, after which the development of autonomous surface ships has followed. Unmanned vessels include ships operated remotely by an operator on land and autonomous ships that are fully operated by the computer programmes and only in exceptional situations the ship’s crewmembers or other human resources may be involved. The commercial application of these facilities is becoming more and more certain and this topic is increasingly being discussed. This trend obviously poses a huge challenge to all maritime actors, as well as lawmakers at international and national level. Namely, although the current development of maritime law has effectively regulated most of new technologies, all these standards and regulations have been adapted for the use of the conventional manned ships. A number of questions concerning the possible change in international and national regulations regarding the implementation of autonomous ships have been raised. It is considered as a priority within the framework of IMO unification instruments and changes in the Maritime Code of the Republic of Croatia. This paper presents various legal aspects of the use of autonomous ships with the aim to define the autonomous ship and to examine how present international conventions and national regulations could adapt to provide the legal framework to the introduction of autonomous ships.

Challenges for the Education and Training of Seafarers in the Context of Autonomous Shipping: Bibliometric Analysis and Systematic Literature Review

“…However, since the purpose of the Convention is to promote the safety of life and property at sea and the protection of the marine environment, it is foreseeable that the Convention will be extended to shore personnel [18]. The fundamental question will be to explain and regulate the operations of coastal control centers, as well as to define the status of human resources, and to answer the question of whether they could be considered as crew members of the ship in order to accept and apply their obligations and duties determined by the STCW and other IMO instruments [19]. However, the STCW Convention, like the other regulatory instruments, has regulatory problems that apply to MASS and the remote operator (RO).…”

Reshaping Curriculum of Indonesian Maritime Education and Training

“…The development of autonomous ships is at an advanced stage, and researchers believe that autonomous shipping will help reduce mishaps by eliminating navigation problems and the burden of fatigue, which have been established as primary human error factors associated with crewed ships (Osaloni & Ayeni, 2022). The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has recognized the importance of creating the international legal regime for autonomous vessels, emphasizing the need for education and training in the legal and regulatory aspects of autonomous shipping (Vio & Brdar, 2022). Additionally, maritime cybersecurity is critical as autonomous ships are being developed, highlighting the need for specialized training in cybersecurity for autonomous vessels (McGillivary, 2018).…”