On Tuesday 30th of May, Youngship Sørlandet had the pleasure of arranging the first vessel visit of 2023! On a sunny day, 11 YSS members met together and drove to Porsgrunn to go onboard the autonomous vessel Yara Birkeland, the world’s first fully electric and autonomous container vessel developed by Yara International and Kongsberg. Designed for inland and short-sea shipping, it aims to replace diesel trucks, reducing emissions and combating climate change. The vessel operates autonomously, using advanced sensors and AI to navigate safely. With electric propulsion powered by renewable energy sources, it eliminates local emissions and minimizes energy consumption. Yara Birkeland has a cargo capacity of 120 TEUs and is primarily focused on transporting fertilizers
Many thanks to the Captain Svend Ødegård for giving us an introduction to the ship and the project of Yara Birkeland, answering all our questions re operation, safety, design and future ambitions.
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