Vol. 36 No. 1 (2022): Australian and New Zealand Maritime Law Journal
Articles

SHIPPING OF THE FUTURE – CYBERSECURITY ASPECTS FOR AUTONOMOUS AI-DRIVEN SHIPS

Published 2022-08-04

Abstract

Artificial intelligence has become the centerpiece of the digital revolution, with many transformative technologies becoming game-changers. From automatic facial recognition to self-driving cars, artificial intelligence can be found in almost everyone’s daily life. The maritime industry has experienced a considerable increase in the utilization of artificial intelligence in the operations of vessels. While technological changes have happened at ever-increasing speeds, regulatory changes have been slow to adapt to these new environments. The maritime environment is unique in this regard, given the significant importance of international law and the increasing importance of cybersecurity regulations that affect this realm. I provide in this paper a comprehensive review of maritime regulations applicable to artificial intelligence within Australia, as well as focus on the impact of new Chinese and Australian cybersecurity regulations have on the utilization of artificial intelligence for autonomous or artificial intelligence driven vessels. Furthermore, I will provide specific legal recommendations how artificial intelligence related regulations can be incorporated into Australian maritime regulations and the challenges that may arise in such context. The recommendations are demonstrated and discussed on recent artificial intelligence adapted Australian maritime legal cases covering both Chinese and Australian cybersecurity provisions. The recommendations in this paper may provide critical insights into the challenges of regulations of artificial intelligence driven vessels for Australia, specifically in relation to cybersecurity regulations.