Norway to launch world's first automated containership

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The first automated containership is to set sail next year, but will start with a partial crew until 2019. It is being developed in Norway by shipping company Yara alongside engineer Kongsberg. By 2020, when the ship is fully automated, costs are expected to fall by 80%.

The first ship will have capacity for some 100 containers and will ply its trade regionally. Concerns about piracy will result in the first automated ships sticking to safe seaways, notes this Forbes article. It also predicts ...