AUVSI Makes Case Before the Navigation Safety Advisory Committee (NAVSAC)

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AUVSI Board Member and Maritime Advisory Subcommittee Chair on COLREGS, CAPT Rand LeBouvier recently made industry’s case before the NAVSAC in Oakland CA. Rand LeBouvier presented the best practices document that was established by COLREGS subcommittee with the agreement that AUVSI’s comments were still pending complete vetting (i.e. Pre-decisional) and had been previously circulated within the United States Coast Guard.

 

The outcome is that, after a very thorough sequestered review of the USCG draft, the NAVSAC recommended that the USCG develop, in cooperation with the various stakeholders, a code of conduct based on the existing USCG document that was circulated, that could be endorsed by UMS manufacturers and presented to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for consideration. The NAVSAC did not recommend any changes to the COLREGS/inland rules and did not take any position on whether UMS are or are not vessels. In their recommended changes to the USCG document, NAVSAC did state that they believe UMS are a “presumptive hazard to navigation” which is language that we, as AUVSI and industry, feel should not be in the final USCG document. The NAVSAC also recommended to the USCG that UMS that do not qualify as vessels would assume risk for operation, and that industry should endeavor to equip these to minimize risk, including appropriate lighting, sounds and electronic means to prevent collisions.  Also in attendance were Mario Mairena of AUVSI, CAPT Jeremy Adams of NOAA, as well Chris Beaverson of NOAA and Doug Carlen of Liquid Robotics - both AUVSI COLREGS subcommittee members.