DB Schenker Plans Autonomous Zero-Emission Feeder Ship in Norway

DB Schenker, one of the world’s leading logistics providers, is planning an innovative zero-emission coastal feeder ship in Norway. The fully electric vessel will be the first of its kind in the world with its unique design.

(Frankfurt/Oslo) DB Schenker and its partners – the furniture giant Ekornes and Naval Dynamics, a ship design company, have signed a corresponding preliminary study contract together with development partners KONGSBERG and Massterly.

The long-term goal of the project is to replace the traditional feeder ships used along the Norwegian coastline around Ikornnes and Ålesund.

The new autonomous, electric, short-distance container feeder utilizes the NDS AutoBarge 250 concept from Naval Dynamics, developed in collaboration with KONGSBERG and Massterly.

50 Meters Long – Remote-Controlled Without Crew

The ship is intended to operate between Ekornes’ own port in Ikornnes and the port of Ålesund, which serves the major sea freight ports in Europe. The vessel will cover the 43-kilometer route at a speed of 7.7 knots within three hours. The 50-meter-long ship has a payload capacity of 300 tons. It has been designed from the ground up for autonomous zero-emission operation and is expected to be operational by 2024. The ship will be operated without a crew: Monitoring will be conducted by personnel from Massterly’s remote operations center (ROC), which includes certified navigators and marine engineers. The planned bidirectional data communication solution between the ship and the ROC represents a milestone in the development of sea freight.

Quotes from the Involved Parties

Knut Eriksmoen, CEO Norway, DB Schenker: “We are pleased to further intensify our strong customer relationship with Ekornes through this unique project. It represents an important next step towards environmentally friendly logistics chains. Furthermore, it fits perfectly with our overall sustainability agenda in sea freight, where we take an ambitious leadership role with our partners.”

Roger Lunde, CEO, Ekornes AS: “Our goal is to become the world’s leading manufacturer of sustainable premium furniture. With this groundbreaking project, using the most innovative technologies available today, we will come significantly closer to our sustainability goals. Utilizing the autonomous electric container feeder for direct pickup of our Stressless products at our own docks in Ikornnes will significantly reduce our overall CO2 footprint. Additionally, we will gain better control and greater flexibility regarding our logistics.”

Geir Håøy, CEO, KONGSBERG ASA: “We are witnessing a shift from land transport – with its considerable CO2 footprint – to clean, energy-efficient short-distance sea transport. Due to our decades of expertise in developing and optimizing systems for all facets of shipping operations, we are uniquely positioned to pioneer the necessary work in this project. KONGSBERG is currently involved in various fully electric and autonomous shipping operations – including Yara Birkeland and ASKO. We look forward to contributing our expertise and experience to this new partnership with DB Schenker and Ekornes.”

Numerous Benefits in Sight

Tom Eystø, Managing Director, Massterly: “We are very excited to collaborate with Ekornes and DB Schenker in creating a smart logistics solution for Ekornes’ production site. The small, fully electric, and energy-efficient cargo ship will be designed for unmanned operation. Massterly will operate the ship from our remote operations center. We are very pleased that one of the world’s largest logistics providers, DB Schenker, recognizes the benefits of unmanned zero-emission shipping, and we hope this project will serve as inspiration for a variety of similar vessels.”

Øystein Jaer, CEO, Naval Dynamics AS: “The AutoBarge 250 coastal feeder is designed from the keel up for efficient, autonomous zero-emission operation. In collaboration with Massterly AS – the ship operator and technical manager – we are confident that DB Schenker and Ekornes will have an optimal and feasible transport chain that meets future customer demands worldwide. The benefits in this regard will be numerous – including emission-free operation, faster and more efficient transport, and less traffic on the roads. We are all on the path towards climate neutrality, so it is in our common interest to launch this pioneering ship in Norway and then take the next crucial steps by obtaining approval from the Norwegian Maritime Authority. Additionally, it is important to explore whether there is government support for such a sustainability and technology project.”

Photo: © Naval Dynamics SA