Vard Holdings has secured a contract to build a container ship for Yara in Norway. The contract value is approximately NOK250 million (US$30 million).
Supposedly the world's first autonomous and electric-driven container vessel, Yara Birkeland, will be delivered from Vard in Brevik in early 2020. After delivery, the vessel will gradually move from manned operations to fully autonomous operations by 2022.
The vessel will operate in Norway, in a cargo transit between Yara's fertiliser plant in Porsgrunn to ports in Brevik and Larvik. With a length of 80 metres and a beam of 15 metres, the vessel will have a cargo capacity of 120 TEU, replacing 40,000 truck journeys a year.
The vessel is scheduled for delivery from Vard Brevik in Norway in Q1 2020. The hull will be delivered from Vard Braila in Romania.
The vessel is designed by Marin Teknikk, in close cooperation with Yara and other partners. Kongsberg is responsible for the enabling technologies onboard, including the sensors and integration required for remote and autonomous operations.