Are Current Port Liability Provisions in International Maritime Law Adequate in an Era of Automation?

Published in the Australian Journal of Maritime & Ocean Affairs, 8(2), 147–160, this research paper explores the evolving legal landscape surrounding port operations, automated vessel navigation, and carrier/terminal liability frameworks.

As maritime trade rapidly integrates autonomous docking systems, automated gantry cranes, and remote vessel control technologies, traditional international port liability conventions face unprecedented challenges in allocating risk, negligence, and damages.

This publication provides comprehensive legal analysis into whether existing international maritime statutes and port authority regulations require urgent legislative reform to maintain equitable liability standards in an automated era.