(No) Help in Sight? The Duty to Render Assistance at Sea for Unmanned Ships

Kurzfassung

The present paper focuses on questions arising from the use of unmanned ships with regard to the conventional and customary rule to render assistance at sea to people in danger of being lost. After determining the legal history and scope of the provision, the paper focuses on the capabilities of unmanned ships to fulfil the obligation. Doing that, the paper takes into account the recent works of the International Maritime Organization on the draft instrument to regulate Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships.