Recital (23)

Digitalisation of data is part of technological progress in the area of data collection and communication with a view to helping to bring down costs and making efficient use of human resources. The deployment and operation of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) and related digital and technological developments provide a wide range of new opportunities in terms of data collection and management of integrated systems. This creates opportunities for the potential digitalisation, automation and standardisation of several processes, which would contribute to the safety, security, sustainability and efficiency of maritime operations, including surveillance mechanisms, at Union level, reducing in parallel the administrative burden to the Member States. In that regard, the Agency should, inter alia, facilitate and promote the use of electronic certificates, the collection, recording and evaluation of technical data, and the systematic exploitation of existing databases, including their cross-fertilisation through the use of innovative IT and artificial intelligence tools. The Agency could also contribute to the maritime domain of the common European mobility data space, with the aim of reducing administrative burden on Member States. In that work, the Agency should take into account the need for any tool or system to be user-friendly and interoperable with existing technical solutions in order not to create unnecessary costs for Member States or industry.