Attacks on Commercial Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships at Sea

A commercial Maritime Autonomous Surface Ship (mass) can be subject to external security threats such as piracy, robbery and cyber-hacking. What measures can the flag State and the coastal State, which would have jurisdiction over the incident, and the shipping companies take to prevent such attacks ? This paper discusses the regulatory structure of the mass and examines its limits in dealing with these threats. Its primary focus is the threats to mass controlled by a remote operations centre (roc). Section 2 of this paper will explore possible scenarios to determine which States would hold jurisdiction over the case. Then, Section 3 will discuss the responsibilities of relevant States, with a focus on that of the flag State. Section 4 will undertake an examination of the obligations of the roc as well as other responsibilities pertinent to the industries involved. The concluding section will encompass the prospective pathways for utilising mass in commercial shipping.