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.