News / Dwindling crew numbers on Norwegian coastal feeders as autonomy approaches

Asko Marit and Therese, Asko's hi-tech ro-ro barges

Automating feeder and deepsea vessels has been “much harder than we first thought”, but is becoming closer to reality, according to Kongsberg Massterly.

Based in Norway, Massterly is the world’s first dedicated company operating autonomous vessels, a joint-venture between Wilhelmsen and Kongsberg Maritime, and believes that without the cost of crew, feeder trades become much more financially attractive and could take over many major trucking routes.

But Berit Floor Lund, director of research at Kongsberg Discovery, told The Loadstar it was regulators ...