WORLD OCEAN DAY 2023 AND BCOLP’S 1ST ANNIVERSARY WEBINAR

On 8 June 2023, we will observe this year’s World Ocean Day and the 1st foundation anniversary of the Bangladesh Centre for Ocean Law and Policy - BCOLP. We at BCOLP are pleased to announce that we will celebrate the event with a special webinar to discuss the jurisdiction of Bangladesh over maritime autonomous surface ships. We are thrilled to have Dr Sabrina Hasan as the keynote speaker. Dr Sabrina is a postdoctoral researcher at the East China University of Political Science and Law. She completed her PhD in Law from Xiamen University, China, in June 2022. Please find below the abstract of her presentation. The webinar will be on Saturday, 10 June, at 6 pm in Dhaka, 8 pm in Beijing and 10 pm in Sydney. Quazi Omar Foysal, BCOLP’s outreach and communication coordinator, will moderate the event.

Abstract: The evolution of maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) has gained global attention as it is poised to change the maritime industry in every aspect significantly. It is expected that adopting autonomous technologies could offer considerable benefits, including safer and more environmentally friendly shipping. However, legal challenges may arise due to non-compliance with existing laws concerning the rights and duties of states. These challenges may create dichotomies in enforcing state jurisdiction over MASS under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Bangladesh, a coastal state and one of the major shipbuilding nations, plays a crucial role in global shipping. Therefore, this discussion outlines the challenges that Bangladesh would face as a coastal, port, and flag state when enforcing its jurisdiction over MASS under the law of the sea. Furthermore, the role of the International Maritime Organization as an international shipping regulatory body and the impacts of its mandate in addressing these challenges are also crucial to this discussion. Finally, the discussion suggests that Bangladesh, as a state party to UNCLOS, should consider these challenges in adopting new regulations for MASS operations.

If this sounds exciting, please register by filling out the Google Form: https://lnkd.in/gpai2KnN. We will share the webinar link with the registered participants before the event.

Thank you, and we are excited to meet you all at the webinar.