The development of maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) from seafarers’ perspective: operational, spatial, and labour implications

Abstract

The development of maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) is increasingly considered as a solution to labour shortages, cost pressures, and safety concerns in maritime transport. While much of the discussion centres on technical feasibility and regulatory challenges, this paper adopts a labour- and space-sensitive perspective by examining the views of current and former maritime professionals. Combining a thematic literature review with interviews of officers, a maritime pilot, and a port executive, we assess practical, spatial, and organizational implications of deploying MASS. The results highlight tensions between levels of automation and remaining manual operations, the limits of MASS adoption in complex coastal contexts, and divergent opinions regarding the future of maritime labour. We argue that the introduction of autonomous systems will not simply replace human labour but will redefine it in ways that require tailored regulatory, training, and infrastructural adaptations. Our findings, although exploratory, call for a human-centric transition framework attentive to spatial variability and occupational expertise.