The first crewless electric cargo ship begins its maiden voyage this year

The transport of autonomous cargo will not be limited to a handful of trucks and airplanes. As a CNN report, Yara International now hopes to sail the cargo ship fully autonomous and fully electrically in Norway at the end of 2021. Yara Birkeland will travel from Herya to Brevik with only three remote control centers who oversee the trip.

Yara first developed the concept in 2017 and had planned to sail in 2020, but the Covid-19 pandemic delayed the trip. This is not the ship without the first crew of all types to venture (the Finnish ferry was launched in 2018), but it was the first all-electric model.

This is a slow ship with a highest speed of 13-node of two 900KW propulsion systems (container ships usually travel at 16 to 25 knots), and it is safe to say the 7mWh battery will take a few moments to charge. However, Yara believes it will be beneficial for environmental benefits. The company estimates that Yara Birkeland will replace around 40,000 truck trips per year, dramatically reducing CO2 emissions and nitrate oxide in a country that has heavily dependent on hydroelectric power. Ships can also relieve traffic congestion on land, not to mention keeping humans out of danger (although with the possibility of work costs).

Maybe it’s still long before you see autonomous cargo carrier making a trip elsewhere. Even if the range is not a problem, the dock is – it will be more difficult for ships that sail independently to navigate a busy port like Durban or Shanghai. There are also legal issues. Different countries have their own rules for the sea. Like self-driving cars, there are also responsibility issues. Who should be blamed if an autonomous ship runs aground? Although it’s easy to see the day when an ordinary autonomous electric ship, the day is likely not close.