Chapter 1 Introduction to Autonomous Vessels in Maritime Affairs: Law & Governance Implications -- Part I: Setting the Scene -- Chapter 2 Innovate or Fade – Introducing Ocean Innovation Diplomacy to the Maritime Sector -- Chapter 3 Evolution of IMO’s MASS: Through the Prism of the Chair -- Part II: Naval Warfare & Security -- Chapter 4 Advent of a New Era in Naval Warfare: Autonomous and Unmanned Systems Advent -- Chapter 5 Maritime Security in the Age of Autonomous Ships -- Part III: Safety & Seaworthiness -- Chapter 6 Designing Norms for Autonomous Ships: The Obligation to Call for Help and the Duty to Save Life in Danger at Sea -- Chapter 7 Why Compromise? Safety and Seaworthiness Challenges of MASS in the Shipping and Port Sector -- Chapter 8 How to Ensure Safe Navigation: Navigation Safety Regulation in MASS -- Part IV: Global Environmental Change -- Chapter 9 Autonomous Vessels in the Era of Global Environmental Change -- Part V: Autonomous Passenger Transportation -- Chapter 10 Autonomous Urban Passenger Ferries – A New Mobility Mode in Need of Appropriate Regulation, etc.

This book examines law and governance implications in relation to maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS). Adopting a multi-disciplinary approach, it focuses on a wide array of timely, topical and thorny issues, including naval warfare and security, seaworthiness and techno-regulatory assessments, global environmental change, autonomous passenger transportation, as well as liability and insurance. It also considers selected national and regional developments. The book provides an insight into the role of innovation-diplomacy as the driving force that could expedite the transition from automation to autonomy. After navigating through the complex law and governance landscape, it concludes by assessing critical findings for further consideration. The book will appeal to scholars and students of maritime technology, law and governance. Tafsir Matin Johansson is Assistant Professor at the World Maritime University, Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute, Sweden. Jonatan Echebarria Fernández is Honorary Lecturer at The City Law School, City, University of London, UK. Dimitrios Dalaklis is Professor at the World Maritime University, Sweden. Aspasia Pastra is a Post-Doctoral Fellow and Maritime Policy Analyst at the World Maritime University, Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute, Sweden. Jon A. Skinner is Adjunct Professor at Mat-Su College, University of Alaska Anchorage, and an instructor at the Graduate College of Professional Military Education, Air University, USA. Chapter 11 and Chapter 18 are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.