BIMCO, the world's largest international shipping association, said its Documentary Committee has adopted the AUTOSHIPMAN agreement in response to a growing number of remotely controlled ships.
This is the first management agreement for autonomous ships.
In the announcement, BIMCO said the AUTOSHIPMAN agreement provides a standard contractual foundation for third-party ship managers to deliver services for the operation of remotely controlled or fully autonomous ships.
Remotely controlled ships are currently used primarily in inland waterways and coastal trades, but the sector is growing.
"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 using the widely used SHIPMAN agreement to govern commercial services and provide the framework for obligations, responsibilities, and liabilities. One of the key features of AUTOSHIPMAN is its flexibility, which allows ships to switch operational modes even during a voyage.
BIMCO noted that flexibility matters because it may be a legal requirement for remotely controlled ships to be partially or fully manned when passing through a jurisdiction's territorial waters or 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," said Grant Hunter, director of standard, innovation and research at BIMCO.
"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," he added.
BIMCO has over 2,000 members in around 130 countries, representing 62% of the world’s tonnage. Its membership includes shipowners, operators, managers, brokers, and agents.
