Splash247: CIMAC: Shipping regulation is struggling to keep pace with digital systems

Published by Splash247

Shipping needs greater clarity over how regulation applies to increasingly integrated digital systems, with engineers and lawyers sometimes operating on radically different concepts of what constitutes a timely response.

In a new release, CIMAC, the global association covering ship propulsion, power generation and digital systems, has pointed to the contrast between engineering environments where “real time” can mean a 200-microsecond feedback loop and regulatory language relying on phrases such as “best possible haste” and “without undue delay”.

The organisation argued the gap will become increasingly important as ships evolve into interconnected “systems of systems”, where propulsion, power management, navigation, automation and shore-based platforms continuously exchange information.

“Regulation must reflect growing interdependence in intelligent ship systems,” said Eero Lehtovaara, vice president, digitalisation at CIMAC, warning there is currently no overarching maritime regulation governing integrated systems.

CIMAC gained consultative status at the IMO in 2024 and is contributing to work covering digitalisation, automation, cybersecurity and system integration.

It is also participating in an IACS-hosted joint industry working group examining how increasingly complex digital systems should be reflected in future regulation and survey requirements. That work is expected to contribute to an IMO submission in 2027, potentially laying the groundwork for an overhaul of SOLAS for the digital era by 2032.