Nautilus argues the MASS Code leaves three gaps unresolved: unclear liability when the master is ashore, no safety evidence for one master supervising multiple ships simultaneously, and no plan for the workforce displacement that follows as shore control rooms replace sea-going officer jobs.Source: Nautilus International / autonomous-land-sea update 4

Will the MASS Code lead to fewer jobs for seafarers?

Nautilus International argues yes: the shift to shore-based remote command accelerates the removal of officer berths from commercial ships. The IMO code is non-mandatory until 2032, so the pace depends on how flag states use the Experience Building Phase.Source: event

What is Nautilus International's position on the IMO MASS Code?

Nautilus International, representing maritime officers internationally, argues the master should stay aboard the vessel whenever any crew are present. It acts as a labour counterweight to the cost case for emptying the bridge entirely.Source: Lowdown briefing

Background

Nautilus International is the trade union representing maritime officers and ratings across the UK, Netherlands, Switzerland and internationally. Founded through the 2009 merger of the UK's Nautilus UK and the Dutch Nautilus NL, it negotiates collective agreements for deep-sea cargo officers, cruise crew, ferry masters and offshore platform personnel, with headquarters in London and Rijswijk (Netherlands). David Appleton heads its professional and technical department, which engages with regulatory processes on safety, training standards, and emerging technology.

In the debate over maritime automation, Nautilus is the principal labour voice at the IMO and in national flag-state consultations. Following the adoption of the MASS Code on 22 May 2026, the union has identified three structural gaps the code leaves unresolved: liability when the master sits ashore and an incident occurs; safety evidence that one master can safely supervise multiple vessels simultaneously; and workforce displacement as shore-based control rooms replace higher-paid sea-going officer berths. These are standing concerns about the code's architecture, not responses to a single event. Nautilus's engagement during the non-mandatory Experience Building Phase (2026–2032) will shape whether flag states ADD crewing requirements beyond the IMO minimum.

The union's wider significance is as a counterweight to the Shipping Industry's cost case for unmanning bridges. Its argument that shore-based remote command shifts liability away from shipowners, and reduces the emergency-response capability of vessels at sea, is now the primary labour stake in how autonomous shipping develops across all jurisdictions.