Two Norwegian companies, agricultural business Yara International and technology firm Kongsberg Gruppen, are leading the race to develop autonomously operated ships, which could have a major impact on seaborne trade. Scheduled to begin sailing in late 2018, the Yara Birkeland is equipped with GPS, cameras, sensors and radar to navigate and dock autonomously. The first of these ships will be built by Kongsberg, but it won’t be ready for commercial service until 2019.
Two Norwegian companies, agricultural business Yara International and technology firm Kongsberg Gruppen, are leading the race to develop autonomously operated ships, which could have a major impact on seaborne trade. Scheduled to begin sailing in late 2018, the Yara Birkeland is equipped with GPS, cameras, sensors and radar to navigate and dock autonomously. The $25m vessel will begin its career by transporting fertiliser 37 miles down a fiord.