Shipyard Limited (CSL) on Friday delivered two Autonomous Electric barges for Norway based ASKO Maritime AS.
The ASKO project is an ambitious project in Norway partially funded by the Norwegian Government as a part of a green shipping programme aimed at emission-free transport of goods across the Oslo fjords. These vessels will be managed by M/s. Massterly AS, a joint venture between M/s. Kongsberg, the world leader in autonomous technology and M/s. Wilhelmsen, one of the largest Maritime shipping companies.
ASKO Maritime is the largest supermarket chain in Norway and aims to achieve Zero Carbon emission goals in its logistic service by 2026.
Ms. Loida Olsen, wife of Mr. Kai Just Olsen, Managing Director, ASKO Maritime was the chief guest. The event was attended by Shri Madhu S Nair, Chairman and Managing Director, CSL and other senior CSL officials.
The 67 Mtr long vessels are delivered as Full-Electric Transport Ferries powered by an 1846 kWh capacity battery. After commissioning of autonomous equipment and field trials in Norway, these vessels will operate as fully autonomous ferries of ASKO that can transport 16 fully loaded Standard EU trailers in one go across the fjords. The vessels being built at CSL are designed by Naval Dynamics, Norway using Kongsberg Maritime systems, with detailed engineering carried out by CSL. These vessels are built under DNV GL Classification and flagged in Norway, under the rule regulations of the Norwegian Maritime Authority. Once in operation, these vessels will create a new benchmark for the merchant shipping world in the field of Autonomous Vessels with Zero Carbon Emission.
In a first of its kind event the two vessels will be transported in a yacht transport carrier to Norway. The newly built vessels will be loaded to a large mother ship on Sunday
