Public sector Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) has signed contracts for construction and supply of two Autonomous Electric Ferry for ASKO Maritime AS, Norway, with an option to build two more identical vessels.
Part-funded by the Norwegian government, the ambitious project is aimed at emission-free transport of goods across the Oslofjord. These vessels will be managed by Massterly AS, the first company set up to take technical management and operate autonomous vessels, a joint venture between Kongsberg, world leader in autonomous technology, and Wilhelmsen, one of the largest maritime shipping companies, according to a communication.
Once in operation, the vessel is expected to create a new benchmark in merchant shipping in the field of autonomous vessels with zero carbon emission.
The 67-metre-long vessels will be delivered as a full-electric transport ferry, powered by 1,846 kWh capacity battery. After the commissioning of autonomous equipment and field trials in Norway, it will operate as a fully autonomous ferry of ASKO that can transport 16 fully loaded Standard EU trailers in one go across the fjords.
The vessels are designed by Naval Dynamics Norway using Kongsberg Maritime systems, with detailed engineering to be carried out by CSL. They will be built under DNV GL classification and flagged in Norway, the release said.
The shipyard won the export order after detailed evaluation of various global shipyards and based on its value proposition to the customer. Officials at CSL said they held the contract, obtained within the constraints posed by the pandemic, in high significance. The shipyard is already constructing 23 hybrid electric boats for Kochi Water Metro.