IMO Mass Code and the Functional Approach to ‘Hu-manning’

AUG
2024
Description

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has been heavily engaged in a long process for crafting a framework for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) in step with the rapidly evolving technological developments and assure that safety, security and protection of the marine environment remain the top priorities once this technology will be eventually transferred onto ships conducting international ocean-going voyages. Following the completion of Research Scoping Exercises, the IMO is now moving toward the development of a goal-based standards (GBS) instrument for regulating the operation of MASS. Following the recent decisions in the Legal Committee (111th session, 22-26 April 2024) and Maritime Safety Committee (108th session, 15-24 May 2024) to revise the MASS Road Map the aim is to develop a Code, which will be offered on a voluntary basis in 2025, and finally be adopted as a mandatory instrument by 2030 with proposed entry into force on 1 January 2032. The seminar will provide an up-to-date overview of the current and near future regulatory developments and share insights from his on-going legal research on the functional approach to the legal requirement of ‘hu-manning’. The analysis is conscious to overcome the ‘silo effect’ problem which is encased in this area of developments by remaining light on regulatory and legal aspects and it will therefore revolve around the conceptual paradigm of ‘ensuring safety at sea’ within a robust conventional regime that will appeal equally to participants from both backgrounds.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Dr Alexandros X M Ntovas is a tenured academic in the international law of the sea, admiralty, navigational freedoms and practice, marine environmental law and shipping regulation. He practices public and administrative law and acts on numerous occasions as a policy advisor to governments, including the EU, the public sector and the shipping industry. He is an Associate Professor and Reader in Maritime Law at the Southampton Law School, and a former Director of the Institute of Maritime Law. His primary research interests cover international, EU, and national legislation (especially in the UK and Greece) with a view to assessing its adoption, implementation and enforcement in a wide range of substantive fields.
He is a world-leading expert on the regulation of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships regulation and has spoken regularly on the subject-matter at high-profile forums, inter alia for the IMO MASS Joint Work Group (London, 2023); the Global Ocean Regime Conference (Seoul, 2023); the United States Naval War College (Newport, 2024), and the American Bureau of Shipping (Houston, 2024). He is due to speak at the European Society of International Law/IG Law of the Sea (Vilnius, 2024); the NATO Centre of Excellence (Ljubljana, 2024); and the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (Copenhagen, 2024). 
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. Fees are to be paid before the commencement of the event with exception of e-invoices.
2. Fees paid are non-refundable.
3. Registration is transferable within the same organisation if the request is made at least one week in advance of the event.
4. By filling up this Registration Form,
i. Participants agree and consent that their personal data provided in this form may be collected, used, processed and disclosed by NUS and the event organisers for the purposes of processing their registration, in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 and all subsidiary legislation related thereto. In respect to disclosure, NUS may disclose participants personal data to third parties (which may be in or outside of Singapore) where necessary for such purposes.
ii. Participants will also consent to NUS taking photographs and videos for the purposes of event reporting, marketing, publicity, and media/social media. Participants further consent to NUS disclosing such photographs and videos to third party media entities (whether in Singapore or otherwise) for publicity purposes and NUS may identify them by name.
iii. NUS Law School and designated event organisers reserve the right to alter any of the programme or other arrangements for this event, including cancellation or postponement of the event, should circumstances so warrant. 
Date and Time

Thursday, 15th August 2024 4:30PM GMT+08:00
Thursday, 15th August 2024 6:00PM GMT+08:00
Organisation

Faculty of Law
Contact Email

cml@nus.edu.sg
Location

The Executive Centre, Level 7 Capital Square, 23 Church St