The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted the world’s first-ever global framework for maritime autonomous surface ships.

The International Code of Safety for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships, known as the MASS Code, was adopted during the 111th session of the Maritime Safety Committee at IMO headquarters in London.

“IMO has adopted the first-ever MASS Code – a global framework for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships,” the organization said in a social media post. “A milestone that puts IMO at the forefront of regulating emerging technologies, enabling innovation while keeping safety, accountability and the human element central to shipping.”

The new non-mandatory International Code of Safety for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS Code) is intended as supplementary to other IMO instruments, including SOLAS, and provides a regulatory framework for remotely controlled and autonomous ship operations.

The purpose of the Code is to provide an international regulatory framework to address remote or autonomous operation of key functions and systems, and ensure safe, secure, and environmentally sound operation of maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS).

The Code further aims to support the adoption and integration of new technology for ship operations, and provide for consistent approach to the design, build and operation of MASS.

A maritime autonomous surface ship means a ship which, to a varying degree, can operate independently of human interaction.

All onboard and remote crew responsible for managing MASS operations, however, should be able to exercise human oversight and control for operation of the MASS, including the ability to understand and interpret system outputs, supervise the system, and verify system-initiated decisions, and intervene or override the system, if required.