Autonomous inland navigation: a literature review and extracontractual liability issues

Abstract

Pilot tests for (semi-)autonomous transport via inland waterways are already taking place in Belgium and other European countries. However, the full commercial implementation of autonomous inland shipping might be hampered by liability issues. The allocation of liability, especially extracontractual liability, is an important concern for shipowners who want to invest in autonomous barges, and for other ecosystem actors. For this reason, a balanced risk distribution framework could boost the investment decision. A legal analysis of the current laws and regulations is necessary to evaluate whether they can be applied to new autonomous systems. The research approach consists of two steps. First, an in-depth literature review is carried out to determine whether extracontractual liability research has already been conducted and to highlight the gaps in autonomous inland waterways transport studies. Once it is proved that the vast majority of the research focuses on technology, it can be affirmed that there is a need to inquire about extracontractual liability. In the second part, thus, the two international Conventions on liability limitation and collision in inland navigation are examined.