News 03 Jan, 2024 Maritime Autonomy Policy Innovation in shipping presents exciting opportunities for industry and challenges for regulators. The recent emergence of autonomy in shipping and its wide range of applications is no different. Autonomy in shipping covers everything from remotely operated vessels where a human is in the loop, through to fully autonomous vessels that are operated by software or AI systems. There are many potential benefits including taking humans out of dirty and dangerous situations, while providing environmental benefits such as improving fuel efficiency.  Download PDF Katrina Kemp Maritime Autonomy Policy Lead, (Maritime and Coastguard Agency) As the regulator for shipping in the UK, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency is supporting industry as new technologies and vessels emerge and evolve, while ensuring that all maritime users remain safe and the environment is protected. The biggest challenge to us as a regulator is how we update regulations to ensure these vessels remain safe, secure and environmentally sound without stifling innovation. As policymakers it is important we ensure that we do not inadvertently cause problems for current shipping.  The UK’s Maritime Autonomy Regulation Lab project springboarded our policy work for autonomous shipping. This 2018 Regulator Pioneer Funded project provided: a detailed review of the UK’s Merchant Shipping Act highlighting gaps and areas requiring clarification; extensive stakeholder engagement with operators, developers (software, sensor, equipment, as well as vessels) along with academics and other government departments regulating innovation; and alternative approaches to testing policy proposals with the use of stakeholder engagement and serious gaming.   Unsurprisingly the project identified gaps in the current Merchant Shipping Act where there was no provision for remote operation centres and remote operators. The operation of ships from a remote operation centre had