Humans reach year of decision on the autonomous ship

We report on a recent webinar in which the industry debated the likelihood of achieving full automation at sea

2020 is proving to be a crucial year in the development of technologies and initiatives relating to maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS). In what is seen as the point of departure for regulators, the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee is set to conclude an initial scoping exercise into the application of IMO regulations in the context of MASS. With the IMO confident that autonomous vessels have a significant part to play in the future of shipping, those already engaged in project development have a starting point for interaction with global regulators.