DANGER OF USІNG AUTONOMOUS SHIPS

Abstract

The increasing automation of navigation is a key trend in the modern world, but it also poses significant challenges and risks for maritime safety. However, the use of terms such as ‘remote operation’, ‘automation’, ‘autonomy’, ‘artificial intelligence’, ‘unmanned ships’, ‘autonomous ships’, ‘cyber-enabled ships’, and ‘smart ships’ has created significant terminological confusion. This article is devoted to a generalized concept of autonomous vessels and their potential risks. This may lead to misunderstandings and inconsistencies in this area, which, in turn, can create a threat to maritime safety. A necessity of being defined and gaining a detailed explanation of some conceptions related to autonomous navigation exists. Moreover, legal problems should be described. For conceptual basis not only the identification of three different automation elements of the ship are used, but also a legal aspect between an autonomous voyage under the ship`s operator control to an autonomous voyage with limitations is considered. These aspects include legal, technicaltechnological, navigational, safety, economic, cyber-physical, and ecological-technogenic consequences. An autonomous`s volume affects the reduction of crew members onboard. Due to the permanent reduction in the number of ship`s crew members the necessity of IT- technologies is being extended, because (of this reduction) tasks have to be executed remotely, or by the autonomous` level increasing. In addition, the reduction of the quantity of ship`s crew members to zero people demands new requirements of intellectual ship intelligence technologies, even if a ship is intended for permanent distance control. The analysis of the autonomous ship general conception has defined some legal collisions which nowadays do not allow to assume full functioning of pilotless autonomous ships. The article argues that autonomous ships are a complex and multidimensional phenomenon that requires comprehensive and interdisciplinary research and analysis. Keywords: autonomous ships, automation, autonomy, сyber-enabled ships, remote operation, remote operability, safe maneuvering.