The Challenges Posed by the Advent of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships for International Maritime Law

Abstract

Autonomous ocean going vessels, often invoke thoughts of robotic ships ruling the waves. Although the types of autonomous or uncrewed vessels presently in operation are a far cry from a fully autonomous 100,000 tonne cargo ship, developments in maritime autonomous technologies continue apace. In order to ensure the safety and security of the world’s oceans it is crucial that international maritime law is able to adequately regulate autonomous technologies operating in the maritime domain. This paper considers the key challenges the current state of international maritime law poses for the operation of maritime autonomous vessels. Demonstrating that these challenges must be addressed in the near term to ensure this capability is adequately regulated, highlighting that the development of a Code for the regulation of maritime autonomous surface ships would be the most effective approach.