Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) has signed contracts for construction and supply of two autonomous electric ferries for Asko Maritime AS in Norway with an option to build two more identical vessels.
The largest commercial shipbuilder in India won the export order after a detailed evaluation of various global shipyards and based on its value proposition to the customer.
Asko Maritime AS is the subsidiary group of Norges Gruppen ASA, one of the largest players in Norwegian retail segment.
CSL said the autonomous electrical vessel project is an ambitious project in Norway partially funded by the Norwegian Government aimed at emission-free transport of goods across the Oslo fjord.
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 -- the world leader in autonomous technology -- and Wilhelmsen -- one of the largest maritime shipping compes.
Once in operation, the vessel will create a new benchmark for the merchant shipping world in the field of autonomous vessels with zero carbon emission.
The 67 metre long vessels will initially 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.
"This project is expected to catapult CSL into the league of premier shipbuilding yards in the world capable of handling high tech vessel construction," said CSL in a statement.
( With inputs from ANI )