The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted the so-called MASS Code (Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships). This is the first international framework for autonomous vessels, aimed at enabling the safe integration of AI-based and remotely operated ships into global shipping.

The new code, adopted by IMO last week, establishes an overarching regulatory framework to ensure that autonomous and remotely controlled vessels meet the same requirements for safety, security, and environmental protection as traditional crewed ships. At the same time, they will remain subject to key international conventions, such as the SOLAS Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea.

The MASS Code will initially apply to cargo vessels engaged in international trade and will enter into force on 1 July 2026. At present, however, it is not mandatory, allowing IMO member states to test and evaluate the framework in practice before it may become binding.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez describes the decision as a major breakthrough:

“This places IMO at the forefront of regulating new technology. We are enabling innovation while ensuring that safety, accountability, and the human element remain at the center,” he said in a press release.

The code introduces new requirements related to areas such as navigation, connectivity, remote operation, fire safety, and emergency response. Particular emphasis is placed on risk assessments, cybersecurity, and so-called remote control centers. At the same time, IMO establishes that the ship’s master always retains ultimate responsibility for the vessel, even if they are not physically on board.

The development of the MASS Code is the result of nearly ten years of international negotiations, in which Sweden has been highly engaged on both the regulatory and research fronts. The next step will be to further develop the framework with the aim of making it mandatory. A binding version is expected to be adopted by 2030 and enter into force in 2032.

Autonomous vessels are defined as ships in which onboard technology can control functions without direct human intervention. Although fully unmanned vessels are still relatively rare, an increasing number of trials are already being carried out worldwide. In Sweden, for example, the Swedish Transport Administration’s ferry operations (Trafikverket Färjerederiet) have made significant progress in this area.