The Yara Birkeland, a 120-container vessel, completed its first commercial voyage from Herøya to Brevik without any crew on board. The ship is powered by a 7 MWh battery system and navigates autonomously using radar, cameras, and AI.
This proves that zero-emission autonomous shipping is commercially viable for short routes.
Maiden commercial voyage completed
Fully autonomous operation
7 MWh battery system
The Yara Birkeland is named after Kristian Birkeland, the Norwegian physicist who first explained the aurora borealis.
The Yara Birkeland, the world's first fully electric autonomous cargo ship, completed its maiden commercial voyage in Norway. This development builds on a longer history of events in innovation.
Looking ahead: The Yara Birkeland, the world's first fully electric autonomous cargo ship, completed its maiden commercial voyage in Norway. Looking forward, this story is likely to develop further as new information emerges.
- 01First autonomous electric cargo ship
- 02120-container capacity
- 03Eliminates 1,000 diesel truck trips per year
2017: Project announced
2022: First crewed tests
2026: First autonomous commercial voyage
First autonomous electric cargo ship
launches
nounMeaning: The movement of a vessel from land into the water; especially, the sliding on ways from the stocks on which it is built. (Compare: to splash a ship.)
Easy meaning: The movement of a vessel from land into the water
Example: book launch
autonomous
/ɔːˈtɒnəməs/adjectiveMeaning: Self-governing. Intelligent, sentient, self-aware, thinking, feeling, governing independently.
Easy meaning: Self-governing. Intelligent
Example: The region declared itself an autonomous zone.
powered
verbMeaning: To provide power for (a mechanical or electronic device).
Easy meaning: To provide power for (a mechanical or electronic device).
Example: This CD player is powered by batteries.
battery
/ˈbætəɹi/nounMeaning: A device used to power electric devices, consisting of a set of electrically connected electrochemical or, archaically, electrostatic cells. A single such cell when used by itself.
Easy meaning: A device used to power electric devices
Example: Schoolchildren take a battery of standard tests to measure their progress.
electric
/əˈlɛktɹɪk/nounMeaning: (usually with definite article) Electricity; the electricity supply.
Easy meaning: (usually with definite article) Electricity
Example: We had to sit in the dark because the electric was cut off.
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