ABSTRACT
The date when the first fully autonomous vessel starts operations seems to be close. The readiness and development of technology for creating and combining the needed operational components of an autonomous ship provide strong evidence to believe that the maritime transport industry is prompt to witnessing this date. However, technology is not the only element that has to be set in order to initiate the operations of these new smart sea vessels. Other crucial elements have to be systematically and systemically integrated into the initial design phase of an autonomous vessel. In this study, a general review of such elements is presented, making the representation of a process for building the initial safety management strategy in an early design phase of an autonomous vessel. This process particularly focuses on identifying determined safety controls for ensuring and managing the safety of the autonomous vessels.
