Maritime autonomous shipping: A UK-Taiwan joint cooperation in integrating the regulatory framework

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International shipping is the life blood of the global economy as vessels carry more than 80% of world trade. The industry is regulated primarily by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) - a United Nations agency, which develops and maintains the framework of global maritime regulations related mainly to maritime safety and environmental protection.Much research has shown that human error contributes to 80-90% of shipping accidents directly or indirectly. In order to deal with the negative impacts from human error, Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) are an emerging solution and are attracting increasing attention in the maritime industry. MASS is defined by the IMO as "ships which, to a varying degree, can operate independently of human interaction". Apart from reducing human error, MASS also brings several advantages, such as enhancing safety and security, reducing operational costs, improving human resource management, and reducing pollution. There are a number of projects related to MASS design and development, in which Maritime Unmanned Navigation through Intelligence in Networks (MUNIN) is one of well-known EU project, which aims to develop an autonomous ship concept, by combining automated decision systems with remote control through a shore based station. In addition, Yara Birkeland, the world's first autonomous containership was delivered at the end of 2020. IMO is currently looking at the integration of autonomous ships in the regulatory framework on areas such as safety, collision regulations, training of seafarers and fishers, tonnage measurement and others. However, there are many challenges for the operations of autonomous ships, in which the issue of regulations development is one of the main challenges. Henrik Tunfors, Chair of the IMO MASS Working Group, stated that there will be no rules on MASS for at least ten years based on IMO process. These challenges can be barriers for the development of MASS and should be solved quickly. UK and Taiwan are at the frontend of relevant research, also on the regulatory aspect. Autonomous shipping is at the core of the UK Maritime 2050 strategy as "new technologies such as maritime autonomous systems can make the sector cleaner, safer and more efficient". In addition, the Maritime UK Autonomous Systems Regulatory Working Group (MASRWG) published the first code of practice to global industry-wide acclaim in November 2017. In Taiwan, the government also pays much attention to MASS and has enacted the so-called 'Unmanned Vehicles Technology Innovative Experimentation Act' in 2018 to encourage research and development, and the application of unmanned vehicle technology. This project aims at address this research topic by looking at the relevant international regulations, identifying gaps and proposes ways to remove the regulatory barriers. At the same time, we focus on fostering a strong collaboration between 4 UK and Taiwanese research institutions and also involving more stakeholders from both countries. To achieve the aim, this project will firstly establish an international network covering both the maritime industry and academia (in the UK and Taiwan) that focuses on the potential international regulations for autonomous shipping. Secondly, we will assess possible regulations for MASS through literature review of academic papers and the relevant legislation and expert opinion. Regulatory barriers will be identified and measure to remove them will be proposed. The results can provide useful insights for future research in this field and we also plan to inform decision-makers.