The maritime industry is set to witness its fourth industrial revolution with the innovation of Smart shipping. Smart shipping involves adopting digitalized and innovative technological systems to develop remotely controlled or fully autonomous ships. This technological advancement undoubtedly requires robust regulation to ensure the maximum protection of data, the safety of life at sea, cargo on board, and of the vessel itself. In the wake of this rising revolution, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is taking steps to ensure that the implementation of a regulatory framework for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) keeps pace with technological developments that are rapidly evolving. In 2021, the IMO conducted a regulatory scoping exercise on Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships that was designed to assess existing IMO instruments to see how they might apply to ships that utilize varying degrees of automation.