This was an eight-day meeting of the Committee but limited to 3 hours a day using the KUDO platform so proved very challenging and it was not possible to complete the agenda. The previous Chair. Bradley Groves of Australia, had completed his five-year term and the new Chair elected was Mrs Mayte Medina of the USA. She had previously been Chair of the Subcommittee on Sub-Committee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping.

In opening the meeting, the Secretary-General stressed the important contribution made by seafarers and the need for member countries to classify them as key workers, of which only a third of the membership had in fact so far done. The meeting developed a resolution concerning COVID-19 vaccination of seafarers asking members to prioritize their seafarers and exempt seafarers from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a condition for entry. An Assembly resolution will be developed for the next Assembly meeting.

The substantive issue at the meeting concerned the regulatory scoping exercise for the use of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS). Considerable work had been done by an Intersessional Group and a draft report had been prepared which was successfully finalised and will be issued as a Circular. This reviews the mandatory instruments related to maritime safety and security establishing how they would be affected against four degrees of autonomy; ships with automated processes and decision support but with seafarers are on board, remotely controlled ships but with seafarers on board, remotely controlled ships without seafarers on board and fully autonomous ships. It is now considered that the best way forward to address MASS in the IMO regulatory framework would be through the development of a goal-based MASS Code and Member States are invited to submit proposals to the next meeting.

Piracy and armed robbery continues to be a problem with 228 incidents reported in 2020, particularly in the Gulf of Guinea West Africa. A resolution was prepared on recommended action to address piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea and an Assembly resolution will be developed on prevention and suppression of piracy, armed robbery against ships and illicit maritime activity in the Gulf of Guinea.

On navigation and communication matters, amendments were agreed to the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) Manual. The burden of the extra cost of transmitting MSI and SAR related messages over multiple satellite system providers was discussed. Various proposals were considered and the topic will be progressed through a correspondence group established under the coordination of Australia.

New work items were agreed for performance standards and SOLAS amendments to introduce the VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) and for performance standards for a digital navigational data system NAVDAT.

The next meeting has been scheduled for 4 to 8 October and a further meeting is expected in the first half of 2022 but dates have not yet been decided.