Norwegian shipyard builds the world's first self-driving city ferry

Br?drene Aa from Hyen in Vestland County has been assigned to build the first self-driving passenger ferry for commercial operation in the middle of Stockholm. The traditional ferry company Torghatten and the autonomy supplier Zeabuz are behind the project.

- Norway is at the forefront of autonomous vessels worldwide, and we have come a long way in developing cargo ships. We are taking this to the next level with the testing and development of commercial, self-driving passenger ferries. We are proud of this project where the shipping company, technology supplier, and shipyard become a Norwegian export product to Stockholm, says Reidun Svarva , head of business development in Torghatten.

The vessel to be built is an electric catamaran with a capacity of 25 people, scheduled to be completed in April 2023. The passenger ferry will operate the line between Kungsholmen and S?der Mellarstrand in Stockholm, with 15 hours of continuous electric operation every day. The ferry has a crew of one person and a control room on land.

- Initially, the ferry will be guided by a crew consisting of a captain, while the trip across will be monitored from a control room. In the long term, the intention is to control everything from the control room, says Svarva.

Expertise and experience

The vessel of 12 m in length has an open, covered passenger deck with boarding and disembarking at both ends. The boat is being built at the Br?drene Aa Shipyard, which has roots dating back to 1947. The shipyard has developed unique construction techniques and built energy-efficient carbon fiber vessels for use in Norway and abroad.

- This is an exciting project for us where we combine the technical expertise and experience, we have with building energy-efficient speedboats combined with the autonomous technical solutions of the future, says Tor ?yvind Aa, general manager of Br?drene Aa, and continues

?- We see great future possibilities for this type of vessel at a time when more and more cities are looking at better utilization of the waterways as a means of transport. The agreement has significant strategic value for us as we, together with Torghatten and Zeabuz, are demonstrating ground-breaking technology.

First commercial operation

The Norwegian technology company Zeabuz supplies the autonomous system for the passenger ferry. The company was spun out of the maritime research environment at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Together with NTNU, Zeabuz has already developed an autonomous test ferry that runs in Trondheim. The project in Stockholm stands out as the world's first autonomous ferry with a commercial operation.

- We have learned a lot from our project in Trondheim, and now we are ready to take the next step in creating the world's first commercial autonomous city ferry. The technology will essentially be the same, but in Stockholm, we will seriously test the autonomy system in daily operations with passengers in a way no one has done before. This will be incredibly exciting, says the CEO of Zeabuz, Erik Dyrkoren .

Major environmental benefits

The project with autonomous ferries in Stockholm is attracting international interest, not least because of the project's green profile. Around 90% of all urban areas are located by waterways, but these waterways are underutilized due to extensive emissions and high operating costs.

- With autonomy, we can get operating costs low enough to make the ferry commercially profitable and offer a departure frequency adapted to market needs. It means a green transport revolution at sea, and Stockholm is the first place in the world where this is now being tested, says Reidun Svarva in Torghatten.

About Torghatten

• Ferjeselskapet Torghatten AS is one of the country's largest transport companies, with main activities on ferries and fast boats in Norway
• Torghatten has an annual turnover of approx. NOK 3 billion and approx. 1,250 employees
• Torghatten was founded in 1878 and is Zeabuz's largest investor
• The head office is in Br?nn?ysund

About Zeabuz

• Zeabuz AS is a company that supplies autonomous systems to urban passenger vessels and traditional car ferries
• Zeabuz spins out of many years of maritime research at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
• Analysis carried out by the agency BCG show potential in Europe of 4,200 ferries of this type
• The head office is in Trondheim

About the new ferry line in Stockholm

• A new, self-propelled passenger ferry will be operated in Stockholm from 2023
• The line will run in central Stockholm, between S?dermalm and Kungsholmen, with up to 120 trips per day
• The ferry will take around 25 passengers and have an operator on board in the first phase
• The ferry will be designed and built in Norway
• Torghatten operates the service, while Zeabuz supplies the autonomous technology

About the Br?drene AA

• Br?drene Aa AS is a world leader in the design and construction of high-speed boats in carbon fiber.
• The company's head office and shipyard are located in Hyen in Sogn og Fjordane, with activities in Bergen, Eikefjord, and Guangzhou, China.
• Br?drene Aa delivered its first boat in carbon fiber in 2002. Technology and construction techniques have been continuously developed over the years, and Br?drene Aa has produced over 75 carbon fiber boats.
• The company has delivered many vessels for domestic and international markets.
• Br?drene Aa AS is owned by Br?drene Aa Eiendom and CKS Investment Norway.