Lloyd's Shipping & Trade Law

The ever-changing regulatory landscape for maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) has positioned it, in its latest developments, at the junction between maritime law and artificial intelligence legislation. This article offers a focused analysis of the EU regulatory framework applicable to MASS, examining the constitutional bases for EU action, the interaction between maritime and digital legislation, and the emerging challenges around liability, cyber security and operational governance. The analysis highlights that a coherent, dedicated EU MASS Regulation is necessary to ensure legal certainty, competitiveness and safety.

Oceanus Capital Sarl v Lloyd's Insurance Co SA (The Vyssos) [2026] EWCA Civ 863; [2026] 2 Lloyd's Rep 115

Cometsambre SA v Lloyd's Insurance Co SA HIG 5321 [2026] EWHC 1837 (Comm)