Following on from the recent announcement that the IMRF will submit a paper to the IMO Maritime Safety Committee on the need to ensure that autonomous and remotely operated ships can effectively take part in SAR operations and can recover survivors into these vessels, the IMRF is now seeking input from its membership to further its understanding of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) and its impact on maritime search and rescue (SAR) operations.

In an update to its latest Briefing Paper, which is exclusive to the IMRF Membership, the IMRF is asking its global membership several critical questions about how autonomous and remotely operated vessels are currently being used, what the current and potential advantages and disadvantages are when using MASS in SAR operations – and particularly when crewed SAR vessels and aircraft are working with them.

“This feedback is vital to helping the IMRF understand more about the members views of the role of MASS in maritime SAR. Crucially, this is also a way that maritime SAR organisations and the IMRF Membership can have their voice heard at the next IMO meeting where MASS will be discussed. We encourage all our members to reach out to us and engage with us in the next stage of our MASS SAR discussion ahead of our attendance at the next IMO meeting,” said Roly McKie, the IMRF’s IMO Representative.

To get access to the updated Member Briefing and learn more about the questions the IMRF is seeking feedback on, please log into the IMRF Members Area to access the document. If you have any questions or comments, you can email Roly at [email protected].

The development of MASS and other autonomous technologies in maritime SAR operations continues to be of vital importance to the IMRF. As part of that, the IMRF is set to hold a MASS Workshop during its Annual Meeting in late November.