Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which aspects of primary maritime legislation her Department considers may require amendment to enable the safe and lawful operation of autonomous and remotely operated maritime vessels in UK waters; and what steps are being taken to introduce any changes.

The Department for Transport has led a sustained programme of work since 2018 to assess and prepare the UK’s maritime legislative framework for the safe and lawful operation of autonomous and remotely operated vessels. This has included the Maritime Autonomy Regulation Lab (MARLab), led by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, and the Future of Transport Regulatory Review, which consulted publicly on the regulation of maritime autonomous surface ships and remote operations.

Alongside this, Government has supported trials and deployment through introduction of a pilot remote operator training framework, new small vessel exemptions, and new certification routes, including Workboat Code 3, Annex 2. The experience and evidence gathered through these processes support broader regulatory development for Government.

In addition, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency were a partner in the Maritime Regulatory Innovation Framework between 2023 and 2025, working with industry and other partners to develop and test a supporting framework alongside existing certification processes. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency remain engaged and will work with project partners for the next and final stages of the project as they seek to verify and validate the framework as a valuable alternative process to meet Maritime and Coastguard Agency regulatory processes and requirements.

The Government intends to legislate when parliamentary time allows, informed by this evidence and the need to align with international standards.