Captain Benjamin Hawkins, chief of the Office of Design and Engineering Standards, participated in the panel session “Autonomous Vessel Operations and Potential Implications for Safety” during the 97th Annual Transportation Safety Board meeting in Washington and talked about the regulatory perspective regarding autonomous vessels.
Mr. Hawking said that it is important to realize that advancements in technology are promoting the autonomy of vessels for decades. As this technology is being developed, regulators recognize the relationship between automation and manning.
An example of these regulations is the development of international standards for Global Positioning Satellites. The first satellite was launched in 1978, but it took over 30 years for international standards which are working with GPS technology to enter into force. “Compared to GPS systems, the prospective of vessel autonomy is exponentially more complex, and there are a broad spectrum of issues to address before a comprehensive regulatory solution is implemented. So, it is going to take time to develop any necessary standards and regulations,” Benjamin Hawkins mentioned.
Next, when it comes to charting a course to develop those regulations, the vessel autonomy technology presents several new challenges for ensuring the continuity of safety and security in the Marine Transportation System. These challenges include: consideration of stakeholder concerns; the regulatory framework; industry practice; and specific regulatory standards.
For ensuring safety and security, three key elements must be considered:
- The human element. One of the principle drivers for autonomous technologies is the potential for reduction in human error.
- The human element, through the licensed mariner, has always been central to ensuring safe maritime operations.
- Standards and operational limitations.
These regulatory discussions are taking place at an international stage, after being submitted to the International Maritime Organization by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States. As a result of these talks, a regulatory scoping exercise will start in May and will last until 2020, in order to assess how autonomous technology will fit within the existing international conventions. Albeit its importance, this exercise will only identify where there’s alignment or conflict within the existing standards.
During these discussions, existing authorities that allow the USCG to regulate vessels, credential mariners, verify compliance and manage the waterways, enable the acceptance of unique and novel designs and approve equivalencies to those regulations.
“Therefore, during the early development and deployment of autonomous technology, the Coast Guard must leverage its existing authorities to ensure the safe development of those technologies. That said, long-term regulatory solutions are certainly envisioned but are well over the horizon. Comprehensive regulatory development will be preceded by voluntary guidelines and consensus standards as well as international standards and industry best practices,” Mr. Hawkins concluded.
