İngiliz Hukukunda Başkasının Haksız Fiilinden Doğan Sorumluluk (Vicarious Liability) Doktrini Çerçevesinde Otonom Gemilerde Donatan ve Uzak Operatör Arasındaki İlişkinin Değerlendirilmesi

Öz

Otonom gemilerin geliştirilmesinde temel odak noktası, bu gemilerin değişen derecelerde insan etkileşiminden bağımsız olarak hareket edebilmeleridir. Bununla birlikte bu gemilerin ihtiyaç duyduğu verilerin sağlanması ve arızalanmaları ihtimaline karşı izleme, gözetim, doğrudan kontrol ve teknik destek gibi mekanizmaların işletilebilmesi için her halükarda uzak operasyona da ihtiyaç duyulacaktır. Öte yandan İngiliz hukukunda, uzak operatörlerin haksız fiillerinden doğabilecek zararlar bakımından, donatanın gemi adamlarının haksız fiillerinden doğan zararlardan dolaylı sorumluluğuna ilişkin rejimin uygulanabilirliği sorunu gündeme gelecektir. Zira uzak operatörler, işin ileri derecede teknik nitelik taşıması nedeniyle donatan tarafından kendi bünyesinde istihdam edilebilecekleri gibi, kontrolün devredildiği bir uzak operasyon merkezi yahut zorunlu durumlarda müdahale amacıyla tamamen üçüncü kişi konumunda bulunan uzak operasyon merkezleri aracılığıyla da operasyona dahil olabileceklerdir. Bu durum, uzak operatörlerin bazı hallerde bağımsız yüklenici konumunda değerlendirilmesine yol açabilecektir. İngiliz haksız fiil hukukunda ise işveren, kural olarak bağımsız yüklenicilerin verdiği zararlardan dolaylı olarak sorumlu tutulmamaktadır. Bu çalışma, temel olarak İngiliz hukukunda başkasının haksız fiilinden doğan sorumluluk (vicarious liability) doktrininin, otonom gemilerde donatan ile uzak operatörler arasındaki ilişki bakımından uygulanabilirliğini incelemektedir. Bu kapsamda konu, özellikle taraflar arasındaki ilişkinin bu sorumluluğa yol açmaya elverişli olup olmadığını değerlendiren ilişki testi (relationship test) ile haksız fiil ve söz konusu ilişki arasında yakın bir bağlantı bulunup bulunmadığını inceleyen yakın bağlantı testi (close connection test) çerçevesinde ele alınacaktır. Ayrıca gemilerin denize elverişliliğine doğrudan etkisi bulunan otonom sistemlerin entegrasyonu sürecinde, hangi görevlerin çalışan konumundaki uzak operatörler tarafından yerine getirilmesi gerektiği ve hangilerinin bağımsız yüklenicilere devri ile bu sorumluluğun kapsamı dışında bırakılabileceği üzerinde de durulacaktır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Otonom Gemiler
• MASS
• Uzak Operatörler
• İngiliz Hukuku
• Haksız Fiil
• Dolaylı Sorumluluk
• Makul Özen
• Kusur
• İhmal

Destekleyen Kurum

Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı

Etik Beyan

Bu araştırma makalesi, yazarın 2026 yılında Swansea Üniversitesi’nde tamamladığı “The Implications of Artificial Intelligence and Related Emerging Technologies on Ship Operations: Civil Liability and Insurance Considerations” başlıklı doktora tezinin ilgili bölümünün geliştirilmesi suretiyle hazırlanmıştır.

An Assessment of the Relationship Between the Shipowner and the Remote Operator on Autonomous Ships within the Framework of Vicarious Liability under English Law

Öz

The primary focus in the development of autonomous ships is their ability to operate, to varying degrees, independently of human interaction. Nevertheless, remote operation will still be required to provide the data needed by such ships and to enable mechanisms such as monitoring, supervision, direct control and technical support to function in response to system failures. Under English law, however, the question arises whether the regime governing the shipowner’s vicarious liability for losses and damages caused by the tortious acts of seafarers may also be applied to those arising from the tortious acts of remote operators. This is because remote operators may either be employed directly within the shipowner’s own sphere of business due to the highly technical nature of their work, or become involved in the operation through a remote operations centre to which control has been transferred, or through entirely third-party remote operations centres intervening in situations of emergency. In certain circumstances, this may result in remote operators being classified as independent contractors. As a general rule under English tort law, an employer is not vicariously liable for losses and damages caused by independent contractors. This study primarily examines the applicability of the doctrine of vicarious liability under English law to the relationship between shipowners and remote operators on autonomous ships. In this context, the issue will be considered particularly through the relationship test, which assesses whether the relationship between the parties is capable of giving rise to vicarious liability, and the close connection test, which examines whether there is a sufficiently close connection between the tort and that relationship. The study will also consider, in the process of integrating autonomous systems that have a direct impact on the seaworthiness of ships, which duties should be undertaken by remote operators acting as employees and which may be delegated to independent contractors and thereby remain outside the scope of such liability.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Autonomous Ships
• MASS
• Remote Operators
• English Law
• Tort Law
• Vicarious Liability
• Reasonable Care
• Fault
• Negligence

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