Page 17: of Marine News Magazine (July 2022)

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Column

Autonomous Vessels

Autonomous Cargo Ships and

New Collision Regulations

By Alan M. Weigel, Blank Rome LLP practices, there are no international standards for the safe

The possibility now exists design, operation or maintenance of autonomous vessels.

for ships to navigate the globe with no one at the helm. Recognizing this gap, the International Maritime Orga-

This capability has been demonstrated in the United States, nization (IMO) has recently completed a so-called Regula-

Europe and Japan by autonomous workboats, survey ves- tory Scoping Exercise (RSE) to begin the process of creat- sels, and coastwise voyages by autonomous cargo vessels ing a framework for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships and ferries with the development of larger vessels capable (known as MASS) to enable their safe operation within of making trans-oceanic voyages coming soon. Despite existing IMO instruments, the most signi? cant being the this new reality, aside from a patchwork of voluntary best Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS).

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