A conceptual illustration of an autonomous vessel. [Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority / Autonomous Ship Technology Development Project Integration Team]
A conceptual illustration of an autonomous vessel. [Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority / Autonomous Ship Technology Development Project Integration Team]

Details of a regulatory exemption regime designed to support real-sea demonstrations of autonomous vessels — along with plans for designating navigation zones in the second half of this year — will be shared with industry and local governments.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority (KOMSA) announced Tuesday that they will hold a briefing on the autonomous vessel trial operation and demonstration regulatory exemption regime on Aug. 4 at the Ramada Encore Busan Station Hotel in Busan.

The session, the first of its kind this year, will cover the key provisions of the trial operation and demonstration regulatory exemption regime under the Autonomous Vessel Act, including application procedures and operational guidelines. Plans for designating autonomous vessel navigation zones in the second half of this year will also be introduced.

Under the regulatory exemption regime, vessels equipped with demonstration technology that receive operational approval to conduct test runs in designated navigation zones are exempt from crewing requirements and other regulations under the Ship Officers Act.

Navigation zones for autonomous vessels are designated and publicly announced by the minister of oceans and fisheries after a city or provincial governor submits a designation application to the ministry and the application clears review and approval by a policy committee.

KOMSA serves as the specialized agency responsible for preliminary review of the navigation zone designation process. It examines the adequacy of designation applications and, starting this year, provides pre-consultation support to agencies preparing to apply for zone designation.

Applications for navigation zone designation must include the location and boundaries of the zone, natural conditions, current usage of maritime traffic, fisheries and maritime leisure tourism, and safety and management plans. KOMSA said the pre-consultation support — covering items that require expert review — will reduce the documentation burden on applicants and shorten preparation timelines.

Those wishing to attend the briefing may contact KOMSA's Transportation Policy Division to register.

"For autonomous vessel technology to be verified in actual maritime conditions, local governments and industry must fully understand and make use of the trial operation and demonstration regulatory exemption regime," KOMSA President An Yeong-cheol said. "We will work closely with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to reduce the burden on those in the field and ensure the regime operates smoothly."


adastra@heraldcorp.com