Safety of autonomous inland vessels: An analysis of regulatory barriers in the present technical standards in Europe

Abstract

The paper presents an analysis of technical regulations addressing the safety of inland cargo vessels in Europe, in light of the developments leading towards the introduction of autonomous ships in inland navigation. The regulations are scrutinized with respect to the role of human operators in attaining the appropriate level of safety on inland vessels, as well as in view of possibilities for the remote control and remote execution of safety functions on the vessels. The paper specifies some of the technical requirements, contained in the regulations, which ought to be amended in order to improve the conditions for introduction of autonomous inland vessels. Furthermore, the paper highlights the main differences between the existing rules governing the safety of seagoing ships and inland vessels and investigates the possibilities for improvement of the safety standards for European inland cargo ships based on international maritime regulations. Finally, a set of recommendations for the removal of regulatory barriers to autonomous inland navigation is put forward.