MASS Momentum: Making Maritime Autonomy Technology Fit for Purpose
The global momentum for maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) is accelerating, and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is moving decisively to support the evolution of autonomous shipping into a practical and commercial reality.As the conversation has matured following an extended period of consultation, the focus is shifting from early ideas of fully unmanned ships to a more realistic spectrum of supervised, autonomous and remotely supported operations. This reflects a growing understanding that autonomy is not a single destination; rather it is a continuum that still relies on human involvement, whether onboard or ashore.MASS’ gradual evolution has prompted the industry to think carefully about the regulatory, technical and human element of autonomy. It also highlights the responsibility placed on regulatory bodies to offer strong oversight.The adoption in May this year by the IMO of the non-mandatory International Code of Safety for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS Code) is designed to support the safe integration of autonomous and remotely operated commercial ships into global shipping.The MASS Code sets out a comprehensive, goal-based framework to help ensure that remotely controlled or autonomous ships are designed and operated to a level of safety, security and environmental protection that is expected of a conventional ship—and with future compliance requirements in mind.The development of the regulations saw the International Association of Classification Societies bring forward critical insights and technical guidance around this technological innovation’s operational realities.Fit for Purpose AutonomyFor vessel owners and operators, autonomy is not always the ultimate goal or single end-state, but rather a tool that can be applied at different levels depending on the operational needs. In that sense, the higher levels of autonomy are not always better. The ‘right’ level depends on the operational context, risk profile and human involvement required, and different operations may require different degrees of autonomy.Autonomy is a journey, and its incremental steps should be developed through a gradual, safety‑focused progression that introduces new capabilities in controlled phases. Early steps may rely on advanced, non‑autonomous decision‑support systems, such as automated monitoring, advisory functions, and other smart tools that enhance situational awareness across vessel systems.As operational experience increases, higher levels of autonomy can be introduced incrementally, expanding from decision‑support functions to more autonomous capabilities across multiple shipboard domains.Regulatory and technical requirements that apply a step-wise approach provide progressive assurance, testing and validation at each stage, which ultimately supports learning from real-world experience while also building trust among crew, operators, regulators and other stakeholders.Bridging Human Factors Engineering and Training GapsHuman Factors Engineering (HFE) remains one of the most significant challenges in the progression toward autonomous maritime operations. While many emerging technologies must consider how they influence human activity, autonomy is fundamentally built around human involvement. Every autonomous function interacts with human decision-making, oversight and intervention, which means the human element cannot be treated as an afterthought.Current HFE gaps for autonomous operations include insufficient focus on how people will supervise, interact and intervene in autonomous systems. There is also a lack of clear definitions or a common benchmark for evaluating autonomous navigation solutions.Additionally, the pace of technological development is now outstripping the ability of onboard personnel to adapt. Skills, competencies and training pathways have not evolved at the same rate as the systems being introduced. This creates a widening gap between what technology can do and what the workforce is prepared to manage. Without targeted investment in training and human-centric design, this gap will continue to grow.Verification and validation remain at the heart of safety assurance for autonomous technologies. Traditional testing alone cannot capture the full range of scenarios that an autonomous system may encounter at sea.As essential tools, virtual testing and both system-level and full-mission bridge simulation allow developers and assessors to explore edge cases, stress conditions and rare events that would be difficult or unsafe to reproduce in physical trials. When combined with real-world testing, this creates a more complete picture of system performance.To improve transparency, consistency and trust, standardized virtual testing and evaluation frameworks could support more consistent assessment of system performance, while generating data to support regulatory decision-making for MASS.Maritime training simulator. Credit: Adobe Stock/evannovostro