Following the Maritime Safety Committee's 105th session, steps were initiated for formulating an international regulatory framework for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS). However, for successfully developing the framework, outstanding questions on terminology and scope must be resolved first, as there are currently no standard terms for MASS.
The complex nature of the regulatory process offers a clue to the significance of terminology in developing international regulations. The terms and technology types have various meanings. They are also frequently employed interchangeably. Therefore, it is essential to make the definitions of automation and autonomous technology consistent and unambiguous.
Earlier, a whitepaper offering a solution for developing and implementing an international regulatory framework for MASS was published. The whitepaper - Autonomous Ships: Terms of Reference for Rule Development – examined definitions of ship autonomy and levels of automation. It also explored how they can be applied progressively to operations. At the paper's core is a proposal for a scale for determining automation in shipping based on the SAE Levels of Driving Automation. The scale describes the six levels applied to various ship operations or an entire vessel.
The purpose of the whitepaper is to provide clarity and assist rule development and standard definitions, which can be easily applied across the industry. This would help develop regulations successfully by standardizing the definitions and interpretations of how to categorize levels of automation.
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