The role and legal liability of classification societies in the certification of autonomous vessels

In the absence of legal regulation concerning autonomous vessels, which is not foreseeable in the short term, it is the maritime industry itself that will initially opt for self-regulation through its most influential private maritime safety bodies: the ship classification societies. Especially the major ones, which are members of the IACS, are playing a leading role in adapting their internal regulations and resolutions for the classification of autonomous and semi-autonomous vessels. Furthermore, the IACS is adopting recommendations for its members, for example on protection against cyber risks, in areas where autonomous vessels require more technology than traditional vessels. The legal gap for autonomous vessels is in addition to another gap at international level: the regulatory gap concerning the civil liability of classification societies in the exercise of their private and public functions when acting on behalf of vessels’ flag states.