Feel strongly about this letter, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. Soon, the operation of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships – defined by the International Maritime Organisation as ships “which, to a varying degree, can operate independently of human interaction” – will be more common as part of the shipping industry’s quest to become more efficient through the use of advanced technology, such as 5G . China , Japan and Norway have successfully built and operated autonomous ships. International law has no clear definition of “ship”. Article 94 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) says that “every State shall take such measures for ships flying its flag as are necessary to ensure safety at sea”, including measures to ensure that “each ship is in the charge of a master and officers who possess appropriate qualifications, in particular in seamanship, navigation, communications and marine engineering”. Autonomous ships which are remotely controlled or which operate entirely using artificial intelligence, would not adhere to Article 94 of the convention due to the absence of crews on board. The Strait of Malacca is considered a maritime pollution hotspot. From 1967 to 2017, there were 28 oil tanker accidents that caused thousands of tonnes of oil and hazardous substances to spill into the ocean. The accidents were often caused by seafarers’ negligence. Autonomous ships will minimise such accidents since navigational systems will become more sophisticated and increasingly controlled by computers. However, the Asia-Pacific region is also dependent on maritime sector industries. China, the Philippines and Indonesia are considered large contributors of seafarers to these industries. The governments of these countries should be aware that as autonomous ships become more common, the need for seafarers will reduce. There are also human rights implications. Article 98 of UNCLOS mandates that the master of a ship render help in the case of a distress call when this can be done without danger to the ship, crew or passengers. Autonomous ships will not be able to fulfil this. There are issues of concern with regard to safety of navigation, environmental protection and human rights in the case of ships with no seafarers on board. Thus, while the deployment of such ships should be supported, governments must pay attention to protecting maritime labour and human rights at sea. Taufik Rachmat Nugraha, research fellow, Indonesian Centre for the Law of the Sea, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung