AMC Search and Lloyd’s Register have agreed to collaborate on validating maritime autonomous surface ship (MASS) and autonomous surface vessel (ASV) systems using simulators to test the integrity of controls.
Signed at IndoPac 2025 by AMC Search chairman Mal Wise and Lloyd’s Register global technical director Claudene Sharp-Patel, the 12-month memorandum of understanding marks a major advance in the global effort to establish a simulator-based testing framework for autonomous vessel controls.
The work from the MOU will support verification and validation activities for the International Maritime Organisation MASS draft code and ensure future readiness of autonomous navigation system decision-making software for compliance with the International Rules for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea (COLREGs).
AMC manager defence, autonomous systems, engineering and consultancy Chris White told DCN that autonomous vessels were highly sought after for work that was “dull, dirty or dangerous”, such as extensive grid searches of the ocean floor or finding and rendering safe unexploded ordnance.
“Our testing framework will be run independently of the software companies that wrote the code to provide a level of assurance – to make sure the program does what it says on the can,” Mr White said.
“For decades we’ve been training seafarers to navigate and avoid collisions, now we’re seeking to ensure software for autonomous systems does what we expect trained mariners to do.”
