Kalmar and Yara reached an agreement in which Kalmar will deliver fully autonomous equipment, software and services for a fully digitalised container handling solution at Yara’s Porsgrunn facility in Norway.
All the necessary operations related to the world’s first autonomous and electric container vessel Yara Birkeland will be conducted in a fully autonomous and cost efficient manner, with zero emissions. The order is scheduled to be completed during the second quarter of 2020.
Tove Andersen, EVP Production, Yara, stated:
With this agreement, Yara Birkeland is not just the world’s first electric and autonomous container vessel; it is the world’s first fully digitalised and electric supply chain, with all operations, including loading, unloading and sailing conducted in a fully autonomous manner with zero emissions. Kalmar has the proven equipment and software, and the know-how to integrate their solutions into our supply chain.
Yara announced a partnership last year with technology company Kongsberg to build the world’s first fully autonomous, battery operated container vessel. Yara Birkeland will reduce emissions and improve road safety by removing up to 40,000 truck journeys annually in a highly populated area of Norway. The vessel will transport fertilizer from Yara’s Porsgrunn plant through inland waterways to the deep-sea ports of Larvik and Brevik, a journey of 31 nautical miles.
Kalmar will provide the autonomous loading and unloading solution for Yara Birkeland, as well as transportation between the fertilizer production facilities and the quay.
The solution will be implemented gradually, with the level of automation increased over time. The final result will be a fully autonomous, mixed-traffic and zero-emission solution in an industrial environment.
