Contemplating Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) under the international law on ship-source pollution

Autonomous ships are seen as the next generation of ships to meet sustainability challenges. While abundant studies have noted the potential of autonomous ships to be emission-free and reduce air pollution, research has paid scant attention to the significant uncertainties of the autonomous shipping that may lead to new environmental risks such as traffic incidents and oil spills. It is therefore necessary to assess the compatibility of the autonomous ships with international environmental laws and regulations. An analytical framework of international law on ship-source pollution has been proposed to contemplate such a legal assessment. Autonomous ships would challenge the relevant treaty provisions on preventing, combating and compensating for ship-source pollution and raise a number of new legal issues, resulting in a current lack of legal predictability and certainty. Only as autonomous ships become more widely tested, recognised and trusted will a robust roadmap for legalising MASS become clearer.