24 July, 2017
The Yara Birkland is a cargo ship that will use Global Positioning System, radar, cameras and a range of sensor to navigate itself around other boats and also dock on its own. It's anticipated to cost around $25 million, which is about three times as much as a standard container ship of the same size. The vessel, called the Yara Birkeland, is due to start transporting fertiliser 37 miles down a fjord in late 2018 from a production plant to the port of Larvik, said the WSJ. The 100-container ship is scheduled to be in the water toward the end of next year, though initially it will be tested with a human at the controls. But investors say without the need for fuel or crew, annual operating costs would be cut by up to 90 percent. The principle of autonomy can be applied to other modes of transportation as well, including but not limited to ships. It is also expected to replace 40,000 truck drives a year through urban areas in southern Norway.
The ship is being built by Yara International ASA and Kongsberg Gruppen ASA, an agency that builds autonomous guidance systems for both civilian and military applications. "With this new autonomous battery-driven container vessel we move transport from road to sea and thereby reduce noise and dust emissions, improve the safety of local roads, and reduce nitrous oxide and Carbon dioxide emissions". Around 2020, according to the plan, the technology will be trusted enough to operate the vessel by itself.
The Birkeland's first voyages in 2018 will have manned crews, with the hopes that they will be able to work through any kinks. Eventually, the container will be moved ashore, and the ship will be remotely operated. One container ship will act as a bridge for the vessel.
The International Maritime Organization, which regulates maritime travel, doesn't expect legislation governing crewless ships to be in place before 2020.
As previously mentioned, this is going to be the world's first crewless, autonomous ship powered by electricity.
