Ms Skopec will discuss the complex regulatory, legal and operational issues surrounding MASS technology in the United States, exploring the opportunities and challenges associated with the integration of autonomous ships into the existing maritime framework. This presentation aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state and future trajectory of autonomous ships, offering valuable insights for stakeholders navigating this rapidly evolving sector of the maritime industry.

From object detection systems to route optimization algorithms, machine learning (ML) technologies are transforming autonomous and smart shipping. BV M&O introduces a guidance note, set to be published by mid-2025, providing recommendations on the assessment of machine learning systems in the maritime and offshore industries. Aligned with ISO standards, the European AI Act, and the Assessment List for Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (ALTAI), the guidance note emphasizes principles such as human oversight, transparency, explainability, robustness, safety and accuracy. Key topics are presented, including risk management, data governance, ML development and deployment and governance throughout the ML lifecycle.

This presentation introduces ClassNK's revised guidelines, which were published this year. Firstly, it provides an overview of the revised guidelines, which expand on the main part and specify detailed requirements for autonomous navigation systems (ANS) in the annex. The annex additionally describes safety evaluation methods using simulation techniques for fundamental ANS functions. The presentation then explains one such method in detail, focusing on the evaluation of the maneuvering control function. It introduces the method detail, including the creation of simulation scenarios, the requirements for the mathematical manoeuvering model and the performance indicators.

DNV has developed a qualification process for autonomous and remotely operated vessels and systems to ensure an equivalent level of safety as for conventional vessels. This is applied in the new DNV AROS class notations. As the novel technologies and concepts create new and different risks, DNV employs a risk-based verification process, considering human factors and remote operations centers among other aspects, including new verification methods. As technologies mature and experience is gathered, rules and standards will develop and become more detailed and specific. Going forward, collaboration across the maritime industry is essential to achieve the safety objectives for autonomous ships.

As autonomous shipping advances, reliable and efficient voice communication remains a challenge. This presentation will showcase a domain-specific multilingual maritime speech recognizer that has been enhancing maritime operations by transcribing and processing VHF radio communications. Expanding on this, a new concept for autonomous vessels has been designed to enable AI-driven voice interaction, supporting seamless ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore communication. By integrating advanced maritime speech recognition with technologies like text-to-speech and natural language processing, this innovation has the potential to create a more connected and responsive communication framework between autonomous and crewed vessels, enhancing both safety and efficiency.

The marine industry, a key pillar of the national economy, must advance toward digitalization and intelligence. Reliable, high-speed, cost-effective wireless communication is critical for enabling applications like unmanned ships, offshore industries and smart oceans. This presentation explores recent developments in maritime 5G technology, its applications across maritime sectors and future advances to support these innovations.

The intentions of ships in the area are important for navigating a ship. Studies show that the automatic exchange of sailing intentions can improve safety and efficiency on waterways. The rapid uptake of track pilots on western European waterways is making sailing lines available digitally. The next step is to share these intentions with other ships in the area. This can help, for example, collision warning systems to predict collisions with great accuracy. In the second half of 2025, a large experiment will be carried out where intentions are shared, even between systems delivered by different suppliers.

As the business cases for MASS/remote operations continue to grow, much activity is underway to ensure infrastructure can meet the needs of scaled-up uncrewed operations. Taking what has been learned from the Maritime Autonomy Assurance Testbed (MAAT) program, this presentation will explore the status of some of the critical enablers, including resilient PNT and connectivity, as well as the need for data quality standards and frameworks.

This presentation will explore the transformative role of simulation in the development of autonomous maritime systems. Looking across the whole engineering cycle, the speaker will delve into how advanced simulation techniques enhance design accuracy, reduce costs and accelerate development timelines. By examining key methods, the presentation will illustrate how simulation identifies potential design flaws, optimizes performance and ensures regulatory compliance. Furthermore, it will examine the synergy between simulation and real-world testing, highlighting their combined effectiveness in advancing the field of autonomous maritime technology.