On August 15, the World’s first electric and self-propelled container ship has been signed and is expected to be complete in 2020.
What happened?
The autonomous vessel ‘Tesla of the seas’ has been signed by the Norwegian fertilizer giant Yara in a landmark development of autonomous shipping and is expected to start operations in 2020.
The historical 250 million contract was signed in the presence of Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg between Yara Birkeland with Norwegian shipbuilding group Vard. Furthermore, the project has received some 133.6 million NOK from the Norwegian government’s green investment fund Enova.
Funded by the government
Svein Tore Holsether, President and CEO of Yara said, “A vessel like Yara Birkeland has never been built before, and we rely on teaming up with partners with an entrepreneurial mindset and cutting edge expertise. VARD combines experience in customised ship building with leading innovation, and will deliver a game-changing vessel which will help us lower our emissions, and contribute to feeding the world while protecting the planet”.
Geir Håøy, chief executive of Kongsberg, said, “The vessel was an important next step for the entire maritime industry. The Norwegian maritime cluster has taken a leading position within technology, design, legislation, testing and all other aspects of the development”.
Battery driven
The vessel which is battery driven is expected to replace 100 diesel truck journeys a day required to transport products from Yara’s fertiliser plant in the Norwegian city of Porsgrunn to ports in Brevik and Larvik, cutting emissions of NOx and CO2 and reducing the risk of road accidents.
Moreover, it is equipped with radars, sensors, cameras and a global positioning system which will allow it to leave Porsgrunn, navigate around other boat traffic, and travel the 60km down to the port. The vessel will be initially controlled by a crew based in a temporary bridge stationed in one of the 100 containers on board, but Yara hopes to move the container onshore after a short period, and then control the vessel remotely.
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Source: The Local
