Finnish Government submitted a bill on ships’ crews and the safety management of ships, promoting autonomous tests in maritime transport with regard to manning and watchkeeping. Under the submission, in future, exemptions to minimum vessel manning requirements and watchkeeping may be made for a fixed term in order to promote technological innovations.
The Act will enter into force on 1 July 2018, according to data provided by the country’s Ministry of Transport and Communications.
Tests will be possible in separately defined areas or routes. In automatisation tests, the manning of ships can be reduced. Authorisations for tests will be granted to each test separately for a maximum period of two years by the Transport Safety Agency.
The legislative amendment promotes testing in, for example, the Jaakonmeri area on the western coast of Finland. Jaakonmeri, inaugurated in August 2017, was the first autonomous maritime test area to be globally open to anyone wishing to test autonomous maritime traffic, vessels, or technologies related to it.
The amendment improves the opportunities of Finland’s maritime industry to be a leader in vessel automation in the digitalisation of maritime transport.
Vessels, other than tankers, with a gross tonnage of less than 500 and operating in areas I and II for domestic transport will be exempted from having to possess a Document of Safe Manning. The Document will be replaced by the general minimum manning requirements.
The amendment implements the government key project on deregulation.
