The genesis of regulating legal relations in the field of autonomous surface navigation

The relevance of the article stems from the fact that autonomous ships raise a number of legal questions about the diminishing role of human interaction in the decision-making process. The legal concept of ships operating with autonomous systems requires an assessment of the genesis of existing maritime law and regulations. The article describes the process of establishing the legality of autonomous vessels, with a focus on provisions from the International Maritime Organization, as it acts as the primary regulatory body in the field of shipping. Crewless vessels provide flexibility in determining crewing levels, which has contributed to the development of this area. However, in the case of using remote control centers, such centers are likely to require a sufficient number of personnel. After a general discussion of the legality of autonomous vessels, the legal problems and solutions related to autonomous vessels are analyzed. For the first time, a critical analysis of regulations is made, which can be the basis for a systematic development of understanding of the legal regulation of autonomous surface navigation.