KOCHI: Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) has signed a contract to construct autonomous electric vessels for ASKO Maritime AS, Norway.The pact was signed for the construction and supply of two autonomous electric ferries with an option to build two more identical vessels. ASKO Maritime AS, the subsidiary group of Norges Gruppen ASA, is one of the largest players in the Norwegian retail segment.
The project is an ambitious one in Norway and is partially funded by the Norwegian Government. It aims at emission-free transport of goods across the Oslo fjord. Once in operation, this vessel will create a new benchmark for the merchant shipping world in the field of autonomous vessels with zero carbon emission.
The 67m-long vessels will initially be delivered as a full-electric transport ferry, powered by 1846kWh capacity battery. After commissioning of autonomous equipment and field trials in Norway, it will operate as a fully-autonomous ferry 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.
CSL won this export order after a detailed evaluation of various global shipyards and based on its value proposition to the customer. CSL is already constructing 23 hybrid electric boats for the Kochi Water Metro. This project is expected to catapult CSL onto the league of premier shipbuilding yards in the world capable of handling high tech vessel construction.