Nigeria's maritime authorities must begin urgent preparations for a global shift to autonomous shipping that becomes legally mandatory worldwide on 1 January 2032, maritime experts have warned. The International Maritime Organisation has formally adopted the MASS Code, or Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships Code, as a voluntary framework at its 111th Maritime Safety Committee session. The code will transition from optional to compulsory under the Safety of Life at Sea Convention, representing what experts describe as a historic shift in maritime law.
Speaking at the 2026 Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Association of Master Mariners, Captain Olugbemiga Abidoye, a former Executive Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, said the country faced significant challenges with just six years until the deadline. He noted that Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships are already being developed and tested by the global shipping industry, but Nigeria has yet to amend its maritime legislation to support ports capable of receiving and operating autonomous vessels. Captain Abidoye warned that legislative changes, communication systems procurement and integration, and inter-agency coordination all require years to complete.
The former maritime official emphasised that compliance goes beyond purchasing equipment. He stated: "The Code is goal-based; we must demonstrate safety outcomes, not just equipment purchases." He stressed that port infrastructure alone was insufficient to achieve maritime excellence in this new era. Captain Ihenach Ebubeogu, a former General Manager of Marine and Operations at the Nigerian Ports Authority, echoed these concerns, saying the government's modernisation efforts must bridge technological advancement with actual infrastructure upgrades.
Captain Ebubeogu highlighted the need to integrate terminal digitalisation, robotic cargo-handling systems and workforce development to ensure port operations remain efficient and seamless during the transition. The autonomous shipping regime aims to move the industry from isolated national trials into a globally standardised and harmonised framework. For Nigerian businesses reliant on maritime trade, delayed preparation could mean higher compliance costs and operational disruptions when the mandatory deadline arrives in 2032.