Talk about a ghost ship…literally.
A Norwegian company has created the world’s first zero-emission, autonomous cargo ship called the Yara Birkeland, which is set to sail on its journey before the end of this year. The cargo ship will travel between two Norwegian towns without any crew members on board. So how will the ship reach its destination safely without getting caught up in the waves? According to the company, the ship’s movements will be monitored from three onshore data control centers so there’s no need for any alarm.
The Yara Birkeland is the first fully electric container ship that is designed with the goal to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions that are toxic pollutants for the environment. According to the International Maritime Organization, the shipping industry is responsible for the emission of about 2.5% – 3% of global greenhouse gases which is harmful to the environment.
The idea for the ship was first visualized in 2017 along with a partnership with the technology firm Kongsberg Maritime and shipbuilder Vard. After 4 years, the Yara Birkeland is now a reality and is capable of carrying 103 containers at a top speed of 13 knots, using a 7 MWh battery. The ship has “about a thousand times the capacity of one electrical car,” according to Jon Sletten, the plant manager for Yara’s factory.
Along with being environmentally friendly, the no-crew approach also means it will be more cost-effective to operate the ship. In the start, the loading and unloading of cargo would be carried out by humans but Sletten is hopeful that all operations would be made autonomous in the future and there would be no need for human help for the ship. While this would prove to be an efficient approach, making everything autonomous would mean fewer employment opportunities for people which might have an adverse effect on the economy as well.
