GAO issues new report on autonomous ships

Photo: GAO/Fugro

In response to a provision in the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a new report entitled “Coast Guard: Autonomous Ships and Efforts to Regulate Them.”

GAO found that autonomous ships are developing in the U.S. and internationally and have the potential to transform the maritime environment.

The report, (which uses the term “ship” to include what most of us might think of just as “vessels”) notes that autonomous ships use various sensors and other technologies to control speed and direction, avoid collisions, and navigate with or without human input, whether onboard or from a remote operations center. However, current commercial uses are fairly narrow and involve a human that is either in direct control of the ship, or can take control, if needed.

U.S and international industry stakeholders that GAO interviewed described improved safety, efficiency, and workforce diversity as being among other potential benefits. However, some expressed concerns and noted challenges involved in developing and proving these technologies for safe commercial use. Additionally, uncrewed or fully autonomous technologies may pose new safety risks in the maritime environment and could present challenges to a U.S. legal framework that requires (or is written with a presumption that) crew be aboard and in control of every ship.

Internationally, IMO is developing a regulatory framework for commercial autonomous ships that addresses issues such as safety, training, and legal liabilities. It is generally expected to be adopted by member countries on a non-mandatory basis in 2025 and to enter force on a mandatory basis for member countries in 2032. The Coast Guard is the lead agency for the U.S. delegation to IMO and is helping to develop this framework.

Selected countries have taken various approaches to addressing autonomous ships. According to regulators from Canada, Norway, and the United Kingdom, these approaches include providing guidance to stakeholders on how to comply with existing laws and regulations, modifying regulations, and creating new regulations.

In its summary of the full report, GAO notes that, in the U.S., the Coast Guard regulates the design, construction, and operation of autonomous ships through existing laws and regulations, which are sufficient for it to execute its safety mission. However, says the summary, officials identified several factors that could constrain or complicate its ability as a regulator to enable the development and adoption of autonomous ship technologies. These include limited statutory authority to allow for reduced crewing on ships, a lack of domestic examples demonstrating autonomous ship technologies, and challenges in harmonizing international and domestic regulations.

Various statutes establish the minimum number of crew required per vessel, and, says the summary, Coast Guard officials told GAO that they do not have the authority to waive these requirements outside of the limited scope of the SpaceX droneship at-sea rocket recovery pilot program. However, officials said they have heard concerns from industry stakeholders that the inability to reduce crew below the minimum statutory requirements could make the capital cost of developing technologies that would take the place of crew—and thus save labor costs—impractical. Coast Guard officials said they monitor developments that could prompt a need for new or revised laws and regulations, and brief Congress periodically.

The full GAO report reveals the Coast Guard is actually doing rather more in the area of autonomous ships than the summary may suggest and also gives some interesting examples of international applications — including the vessel pictured in our main image, the Fugro Blue Essence, a subsea drone used for offshore inspection tasks.

• Download the full report HERE