"Shipbuilding Contract Signed for Unmanned, Zero-Emission Container Ship ‘Yara Birkeland’"

From gCaptain"

The world’s first autonomous and electric container ship is one step closer to reality with a shipbuilding contract now in signed and sealed for the vessel.

Norwegian technology firm Kongsberg, who is partnering with Yara on the project, announced today that Yara has signed a deal worth NOK 250 million ($25.9 million) with VARD to build the vessel with launch scheduled for early 2020.

The vessel will initially start out with manned operation but quickly move to fully autonomous operation by 2022.

In May 2017, YARA and Kongsberg announced a partnership to build the world’s first autonomous, electric containership.

The vessel, named Yara Birkeland, will replace 40,000 truckloads per year, reducing NOx and CO2 emissions in the process. With the shipyard, selected, construction is now set to begin.

“A vessel like Yara Birkeland has never been built before, and we rely on teaming up with partners with an entrepreneurial mindset and cutting edge expertise. VARD combines experience in customized ship building with leading innovation, and will deliver a game-changing vessel which will help us lower our emissions, and contribute to feeding the world while protecting the planet,” says Svein Tore Holsether, President and CEO of YARA....

...MUCH MORE (it's a kinda big deal)