Navigating to smoother regulatory waters for Australian commercial vessels capable of remote or autonomous operation: a systematic quantitative literature review

Abstract

ABSTRACT A barrier to the deployment of autonomous vessels in Australia's commercial and defence context is the gap in understanding how existing regulatory frameworks apply and identifying a best-practice regulatory approach. This Systematic Quantitative Literature Review (SQLR) identifies and assesses relevant available literature from domestic and international resources concerning current and future regulation of domestic autonomous vessels in Australia and other nations. A standard methodology is used combining a traditional narrative review and a meta-analysis tailored for peer-reviewed literature. Only twenty research articles of varying origin, type and content were identified, highlighting a significant literature gap regarding domestic regulation of autonomous vessels in Australia and other nations. Filling the domestic literature gap is critical for further domestic regulatory development, particularly because of the growing range and functions of such vessels. The literature review undertaken supports the development of future best practice regulation, which will facilitate the ongoing development and use of autonomous vessels.