IMO aims to integrate new and advancing technologies in its regulatory framework - balancing the benefits derived from new and advancing technologies against safety and security concerns, the impact on the environment and on international trade facilitation, the potential costs to the industry, and their impact on personnel, both on board and ashore. IMO wants to ensure that the regulatory framework for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) keeps pace with technological developments that are rapidly evolving.

IMO has recently completed a regulatory scoping exercise on Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) that was designed to assess existing IMO instruments to see how they might apply to ships with varying degrees of automation. The regulatory scoping exercise (RSE) for safety treaties was finalized at the 103rd Session of the MSC in May 2021, and for treaties under the purview of the Legal Committee, in July 2021.

What did the regulatory scoping exercise look at?

The exercise involved assessing a substantial number of IMO treaty instruments under the remit of the MSC and identifying provisions which applied to MASS and prevented MASS operations; or applied to MASS and do not prevent MASS operations and require no actions; or applied to MASS and do not prevent MASS operations but may need to be amended or clarified, and/or may contain gaps; or have no application to MASS operations.

The outcome highlights a number of high-priority issues, cutting across several instruments, that would need to be addressed at a policy level to determine future work. 

Further common potential gaps and themes identified across several safety treaties related to provisions containing manual operations and alarms on the bridge; provisions related to actions by personnel (such as firefighting, cargoes stowage and securing and maintenance); watchkeeping; implications for search and rescue; and information required to be on board for safe operation. 

The Committee noted that the best way forward to address MASS in the IMO regulatory framework could, preferably, be in a holistic manner through the development of a goal-based MASS instrument.  Such an instrument could take the form of a “MASS Code”, with goal(s), functional requirements and corresponding regulations, suitable for all four degrees of autonomy, and addressing the various gaps and themes identified by the RSE.

MSC 104 agreed to develop of a goal-based instrument for MASS, with a target completion year of 2025.

Joint MSC/LEG/FAL Working Group

The MSC and Legal Committee have agreed on the need to establish a Joint MSC/LEG/FAL Working Group, as a cross-cutting mechanism to address common issues identified by the regulatory scoping exercises for the use of MASS conducted by each of the three Committees. The first session of the Joint Working Group (MASS-JWG 1) was held remotely in September 2022.

The Joint Working Group developed a table – intended as a living document – to identify preferred options for addressing common issues, such as: role of MASS master and crew; responsibilities of MASS master and crew; competencies required for MASS master and crew; identification and meaning of terms "remote operator" and "remote control station/centre".

Developing a MASS Code

The MSC 105th session in April 2022 commenced work on the development of a goal-based instrument regulating the operation of maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS).

The MSC approved a road map containing a work plan for the development of IMO instruments for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS). The road map envisages the development of a goal-based instrument in the form of a non-mandatory Code, with a view to adoption in the second half of 2024 as the first stage. Based on the experienced gained in the application of the non-mandatory MASS Code, a mandatory MASS Code will be developed which is envisaged to enter into force on 1 January 2028.

The MASS Correspondence Group was re-established to consider key principles and commence the development of a non-mandatory goal-based MASS Code.

The MSC 106 noted the structure and draft content of the draft MASS Code, as further developed by MSC MASS Working Group during the meeting, in particular the new draft section on fire safety, based on the guidance and example for the development of functional requirements for the IMO MASS Code developed by the Group.

Source：IMO