Inspecting Ships Autonomously under Port State Jurisdiction: Towards Sustainability and Biodiversity in the EU

Abstract

This article examines the possibility of autonomous inspection robots being used to undertake inspection tasks conducted on the basis of port State jurisdiction in European Union (EU) Member States’ ports. A brief overview of technical research concerning such robots is offered. The article then outlines the EU legal framework concerning port State jurisdiction, and contextualises this legal landscape by recalling the history of attempts at the EU and international level to regulate in response to maritime disasters since the 1980s. Based on a close reading of the Port State Control Directive, alongside analysis of the aims pursued and policy options proposed in the context of the European Commission’s significant ongoing work on a review of this instrument, it is clear that the adoption of autonomous inspection technologies could offer significant benefits, permitting more efficient completion of existing inspection tasks and potentially changing what is and is not considered feasible in inspection scenarios.