First autonomous ship

The world’s first ship capable of fully autonomous operation, the 3,200 tons deadweight Yara Birkeland, uses a system of sensors and computers to navigate, with remote control available if required, and can even dock automatically. A fully electric lithium-ion propulsion system drives two azipod thrusters for a speed of 8 knots (14.8 km/h; 9.2 mph) and produces zero emissions. Built for Yara Norge AS by Vard, Braila in 2020 she measures 79.97 x 14.8 m (262.37 x 48.56 ft) and carries 120 TEU of mineral fertiliser the 13 km (7 nm) from Herøya near Porsgrunn to Brevik.

Some crew are required on board until the authorities permit fully autonomous operation, expected in 2024. It is estimated the ship will cut 1,000 tonnes of CO2 and replace 40,000 trips by diesel trucks per annum.