• 2 min de lectura
• 2 min de lectura
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted a new International Code of Safety for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS Code) to facilitate the safe integration of merchant vessels equipped with artificial intelligence and remotely operated into global maritime transport.
"The MASS Code establishes a comprehensive, goal-based framework to ensure that remotely controlled or autonomous vessels are designed and operated with the same level of safety, security, and environmental protection that can be expected from a conventionally operated ship," the IMO stated.
"In addition, they must comply with the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS Convention) and other applicable mandatory IMO instruments," it added.
The Code is applicable to cargo ships and will enter into force on July 1, 2026. "As it is a non-mandatory instrument, Member States are offered the opportunity to test its use, while paving the way for its introduction as a mandatory character under the SOLAS Convention," the IMO specified.
"This milestone places the IMO at the forefront of regulating emerging technologies, demonstrating the Organization's ability to anticipate and shape the future of maritime transport. It represents a major step forward, fostering innovation while ensuring that safety, accountability, and the human element remain at the core of maritime operations," commented IMO Secretary-General, Arsenio Domínguez.
Although the number of fully autonomous or remotely crewed vessels is currently limited, increasingly frequent successful international trials have accelerated the need for global legislation.
The MASS Code will complement existing IMO instruments and align with current international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
This milestone is the culmination of almost a decade of multilateral discussions, legal analyses, and sea trials aimed at ensuring the safe coexistence between conventional technologies and new automation tools.
The new code introduces strict technical requirements for the design, approval, and operation of these vessels. Key areas it regulates include: Cutting-edge navigation and connectivity; Remote operations and fire safety; and Protocols for search and rescue missions.
Likewise, the document places special emphasis on risk assessment, the design of robust engineering systems, cybersecurity, and the proper integration of Remote Operations Centers (ROCs).
However, automation will not eliminate human responsibility. The MASS Code emphatically underlines the importance of human oversight, determining that the captain will remain ultimately responsible for the vessel at all times, even if not physically on board the ship.
