The IMO Legal Committee (LEG) met for its 111th from 22 to 26 April 2024, where a roadmap for addressing legal issues related to Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) was approved.
In particular, the Committee approved a roadmap for addressing legal issues related to Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) – commercial vessels that can operate (to varying degrees) independent of human interaction. Under the roadmap, the Committee is expected to:
- LEG 112 (Spring, 2025): assess the finalized non-mandatory MASS Code and consider a need for amendments to, or interpretations of, treaties under the purview of the Legal Committee based on the outcomes of the MASS-JWG, MSC and FAL; consider proposals to develop guidelines on the implementation of LEG instruments by MASS;
- LEG 113 (Spring, 2026): assess the approved mandatory MASS Code and consider a need for amendments to, or interpretations of, treaties under the purview of the Legal Committee;
- LEG 114 (Spring, 2027): adopt or approve amendments to, or interpretations of, treaties under the purview of the Legal Committee.
The Committee also approved the report of the MSC-LEG-FAL Joint Working Group on MASS (MASS-JWG), which held its second session in April 2023.
Furthermore, the Committee supported the actions outlined in the MASS-JWG report, concurring with key elements related to the role and responsibilities of the MASS master, MASS crew and remote operation centres. Among these, MASS-JWG had agreed that:
- there should be a human master responsible for a MASS, regardless of mode of operation or degree/level of autonomy;
- the master may not need to be on board, depending on the technology used in the MASS and the human presence on board, if any;
- regardless of mode of operation or degree or level of autonomy, the master of a MASS should have the means to intervene when necessary;
- only a single master should be responsible for a MASS at any one time, although several masters could be responsible for a MASS on a single voyage, under certain conditions; and
- a detailed discussion is needed about the circumstances where a master of a MASS could be responsible for several MASS.
