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One year to go for IMO non-mandatory MASS Code
An international code to regulate unmanned ships could be adopted within a year by IMO
IMO is writing a legislative code to regulate maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) to ensure these autonomous vessels operate safely in co-existence with conventional ships.
The international maritime authority expects to finalise and adopt a non-mandatory MASS Code in May 2025, based on the progress to date. According to IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), this is part of a lengthy road map to having a full mandatory regulatory code in force after 2030.
The next step is to develop a framework for an experience-building phase of using MASS. By 2028, MSC expects to begin developing the mandatory MASS Code, based on the non-mandatory Code, and consider amendments or a new chapter in SOLAS, enabling the MASS Code’s adoption.
MSC aims to adopt the mandatory MASS Code by 1 July 2030 for entry into force on 1 January 2032.
During MSC’s 108th session at IMO’s headquarters in London, UK, which was held from 15-24 May 2024, the committee approved the report of the third session of the Joint MSC-LEG-FAL working group on MASS and agreed to re-establish the MSC/MASS-intersessional working Group to meet from 9-13 September 2024.
MSC also agreed to re-establish the intersessional MASS correspondence group to continue its work on developing the code, and report back to MSC 109, scheduled for 2-6 December 2024.
“The MSC committee noted the significant progress made to date to develop the draft MASS Code, including the restructuring of chapters and refining the draft provisions,” said IMO in a report from MSC 108. “It was clear more work would be required to finalise the MASS Code.”
During MSC 108, the Maritime Safety Committee revised IMO guidelines on maritime cyber risk management to secure vessels from online threats. MSC approved the revised guidelines and sent them to IMO’s Facilitation Committee for its concurrent approval.
These guidelines cover standards and best practices for cyber risk management. The approved revision includes updates related to key definitions, background information and applications. It includes functional elements of cyber-risk management, including how to establish a risk management strategy, and identifies risks while protecting computer-based systems.
The revision also covers response and recovery from incidents, and other relevant international and industry standards and best practices.
MSC 108 also approved various submissions from the Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NCSR) subcommittee. It approved the descriptions of maritime services in the context of e-navigation (MSC.1/Circ.1610/Rev.1), and recognised a ship reporting system in the Pentland Firth, UK, to be implemented on 1 December 2024.
MSC approved resolution MSC.530(106)/Rev.1 on performance standards for ECDIS and the manual on maritime safety information (MSC.1/Circ.1310/Rev.2) as developed jointly by IMO, International Hydrographic Organization and World Meteorological Organization, to be implemented from 1 January 2025.
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