UK Establishes Its First Maritime Autonomy Regulation Laboratory

    In October 2018, the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), in collaboration with the Department for Transport (DfT) and the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) Marine Robotics Innovation Centre, received ￡1 million in funding from the Regulators’ Pioneer Fund of the UK Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy. This funding was allocated to establish the UK's first Maritime Autonomy Regulation Laboratory, aimed at assisting traditional maritime sectors in developing innovative technologies, pioneering the management of autonomous and intelligent shipping, and securing the UK's leading position in this field.

    The new laboratory platform will facilitate collaboration between regulatory bodies such as the MCA and DfT, academia, and relevant industries, promoting water-based testing and flagship projects. This initiative is expected to enhance the UK's influence in the global market. By 2030, the global autonomous shipping industry is projected to grow to a value of $13.6 trillion, with UK companies poised to play a significant role.

    As new technologies become increasingly prevalent in the maritime sector, stakeholders' need to understand regulatory approaches for autonomous shipping is also growing. Autonomous shipping will play an increasingly important role in the future of the industry, and this funding will accelerate progress in related efforts. Currently, the MCA has observed strong demand for regulatory work in this field and is confident in its ability to address the opportunities and challenges presented by this rapidly evolving industry.

    (Compiled by Ren Yanyang and Niu Yibo, Lanzhou Literature and Information Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

    Original Title: UK's first Maritime Autonomy Regulation Lab

    Source: http://noc.ac.uk/news/uks-first-maritime-autonomy-regulation-lab