1.0 Premise and Justification

The shipping industry has had its operational paradigms transformed by technology. From digital navigation tools to real-time tracking systems, the advent of technology in maritime operations has tested the norms governing shipping transactions and the relationships between stakeholders. This brings into question the adequacy of existing frameworks. Central to this is the evolving concept of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS). While the idea of automation has incrementally entered various aspects of shipping—like electronic bills of lading, remote sensors—MASS represent a leap, prospectively rendering ships entirely autonomous, devoid of any human intervention for navigational and operational functions.1 This could be said to be emblematic of the maritime industry insofar as discourse has shifted from gradually adapting the automation of certain processes, to the outright automation of the entire process. For example, Maritime Autonomous Vehicles (MAVs) have been identified for their use in oil spill removal,2 further tested for cargo shipments,3 and complemented surveys estimating fish abundances.4 Therefore, autonomy could be seen as an opportunity for maritime transport to meet its commercial, security, and sustainability challenges.5