Maritime lawyers want govt to ratify autonomous vessel convention …Call for amendment of NPA Act to support move

or no human interaction.

Speaking on the sidelines of the justconcluded annual general meeting of the group, its President, Mrs. Funke Agbo, said the adoption of automated vessels was one of major changes that would shape the future of shipping globally. She added that Nigeria must not be left behind in that change.

Agbo also said similar technologies were being experienced in both the automobile and aviation sectors, stating that it was only a matter of time before the new experience would be extended to the shipping sector.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, also disclosed that countries were already considering legislations that would guide the operation of autonomous vessels and that Nigeria could not afford to be left behind in this new technology that was about to change the mode of international shipping.

She said: "You know the world is ever changing, there are new innovations and technology is driving everything and it has impact globally and autonomous vessels will become the new means of shipping goes round the world.

"There are driverless vehicles and for instance in the aviation, you have drones that sort things that has to do with agriculture.

They are able to go far. And so, in the shipping space, they are looking at the same thing and discussion has been going on for some time.

"It looks like there is a legislature they are trying to put in place as treaties for countries to consider, that is the way to go and the idea is to to have vessels that are not driven by human beings

"The ultimate is that a vessel going from point 'A' to point 'B' with nobody on board is carrying goods and all kinds of cargoes and you have people on shore directing such vessels.”

She also disclosed that the group was ready to help the government of Nigeria fine-tune its law so as to align with the new convention.