The world’s first autonomous container ship has taken a step forward after an automated mooring system was ordered
The world’s first autonomous container ship has taken a step forward after agreeing on an automated mooring system.
MacGregor, part of Cargotec, and Kongsberg Maritime have entered into an agreement where MacGregor will deliver an automated mooring system for Yara Birkeland. This will enable mooring operations to be undertaken without human intervention and supports effective operation of the fully electric, zero-emission vessel.
The order was booked in Cargotec’s 2018 Q4 order intake, with the automated mooring system scheduled to be delivered during H2 2019.
"It is critical for Kongsberg to work with world-class partners and we are therefore very pleased to specify the MacGregor automated mooring solution for the Yara Birkeland container ship," said Kongsberg Maritime executive vice president global sales and marketing Bård Bjørløw.
"We worked very closely with Kongsberg to identify the most suitable mooring solution and are proud to have developed an innovative, fully electrical system which increases safety and eco-efficiency compared with conventional mooring operations," said MacGregor vice president, Advanced Offshore Solutions Høye Høyesen.
Kalmar, also part of Cargotec, previously announced it will provide the autonomous loading and unloading solution for Yara Birkeland, as well as transportation between the fertiliser production facilities and the quay.
Yara Birkeland will reduce emissions and improve road safety by removing up to 40,000 truck journeys annually in a densely populated area of Norway. The container ship will transport fertiliser from Yara’s Porsgrunn plant via inland waterways to the deepsea ports of Larvik and Brevik, a journey of 31 nautical miles.
© 2023 Riviera Maritime Media Ltd.