BIMCO green lights 1st management agreement for autonomous ships

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BIMCO has approved the AUTOSHIPMAN agreement, which creates a standard framework for managing remotely controlled and autonomous ships.

© Yara Birkeland

BIMCO’s Documentary Committee has adopted the AUTOSHIPMAN agreement to address the rise of remotely controlled ships in the maritime sector. The agreement sets a standard contractual framework for third-party ship managers, allowing them to provide operational services for both remotely controlled and fully autonomous vessels. Currently, these ships are mainly used in inland waterways and coastal trades, with their application expanding as the industry develops.

“Currently, remotely controlled ships are operating commercially in several parts of the world. We are seeing growth in this sector with several companies emerging and offering remote control management services to shipowners,” said Captain Ajay Hazari, Anglo Eastern, who led the AUTOSHIPMAN drafting team. 

The agreement has been developed based on the SHIPMAN agreement to govern commercial services and provide the framework for the obligations, responsibilities, and liabilities. One of the key features of AUTOSHIPMAN is the flexibility that allows ships to switch operational modes even during a voyage. BIMCO believes the flexibility matters because it may be a legal requirement for remotely controlled ships to be partially or fully manned when passing through the territorial waters of a jurisdiction or for calling at a port.

“AUTOSHIPMAN is a first step by BIMCO into the commercial operation of remotely controlled ships, and perhaps eventually fully autonomous ships. During the development of AUTOSHIPMAN, we were assisted by legal and insurance experts, and we have gained valuable insight throughout the process from companies who are already operating ships remotely around the world,” says Grant Hunter, Director, Standard, Innovation and Research at BIMCO.

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BIMCO green lights 1st management agreement for autonomous ships ‣ WorldCargo News

BIMCO green lights 1st management agreement for autonomous ships

News

BIMCO has approved the AUTOSHIPMAN agreement, which creates a standard framework for managing remotely controlled and autonomous ships.

© Yara Birkeland

BIMCO’s Documentary Committee has adopted the AUTOSHIPMAN agreement to address the rise of remotely controlled ships in the maritime sector. The agreement sets a standard contractual framework for third-party ship managers, allowing them to provide operational services for both remotely controlled and fully autonomous vessels. Currently, these ships are mainly used in inland waterways and coastal trades, with their application expanding as the industry develops.

“Currently, remotely controlled ships are operating commercially in several parts of the world. We are seeing growth in this sector with several companies emerging and offering remote control management services to shipowners,” said Captain Ajay Hazari, Anglo Eastern, who led the AUTOSHIPMAN drafting team. 

The agreement has been developed based on the SHIPMAN agreement to govern commercial services and provide the framework for the obligations, responsibilities, and liabilities. One of the key features of AUTOSHIPMAN is the flexibility that allows ships to switch operational modes even during a voyage. BIMCO believes the flexibility matters because it may be a legal requirement for remotely controlled ships to be partially or fully manned when passing through the territorial waters of a jurisdiction or for calling at a port.

“AUTOSHIPMAN is a first step by BIMCO into the commercial operation of remotely controlled ships, and perhaps eventually fully autonomous ships. During the development of AUTOSHIPMAN, we were assisted by legal and insurance experts, and we have gained valuable insight throughout the process from companies who are already operating ships remotely around the world,” says Grant Hunter, Director, Standard, Innovation and Research at BIMCO.

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