MF Estelle, the ‘world’s first’ autonomous electric ferry, has completed its journey between two major islands in central Stockholm, demonstrating the potential for unmanned, sustainable transport, the RISE Research Institutes of Sweden has unveiled, reports offshore energy.
MF Estelle’s trial in Stockholm
Designed and built by Norway’s ferry builder Brødrene Aa, MF Estelle was launched in June 2023, since when it has been fully-operational.
Trial
During a recent trial, the ferry was operated remotely from Trondheim, Norway—600 kilometers away from Stockholm. The demonstration was reportedly performed from the island of Kungsholmen, where the Stockholm city hall is located, across Lake Mälaren to Stockholm’s biggest island, Södermalm.
The minds behind the initiative
Norway’s ferry operator Torgatten along with compatriot autonomous solutions supplier Zeabuz are said to be behind the mobility concept in Stockholm—a city that has long been pushing for new autonomous solutions within its infrastructure—behind ‘Zeam’ (which stands for ‘zero emission autonomous solution’), and the 5G- and IoT-powered MF Estelle.
As disclosed, at present, remote monitoring of MF Estelle is a one-way communication—from the ferry to the company. However, there are plans to enable two-way communication, for which 5G would be ‘vital’. To this end, Zeabuz revealed that the company would work with the Swedish mobile network provider Tele2.
Autonomous solutions
In August 2024, neighboring Norway expressed interest in autonomous vessels, too. Specifically, the country’s Haugesund municipality signed a letter of intent late that month with Zeabuz, Torghatten and zero-emission solutions supplier SEAM for an emissions-free autonomous city boat. The plan is to initiate the boat’s route and test the technology starting in the autumn of 2025.
RISE has highlighted that this project has the goal of contributing to international policy work within the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the EU Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The results of the project are hoped to pave the way for new conditions for eco-friendly mobility (and automation) services.
Now that MF Estelle is up and sailing, the team behind the electric ferry is looking into broader applications of autonomous technology. Reflecting on the 18-ton ferry’s maiden voyage, Brødrene Aa has stated that the development and production of MF Estelle was ‘a journey of great learning.’
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Source: Offshore energy
