Stockholm autonomous ferry service set for debut

Written by Nick Blenkey
Rendering of Stockholm autonomous ferry

Stockholm autonomous ferry service will operate under the brand name Zeam (Zero Emission Autonomous Mobility).

Plans to put an autonomous ferry into operation in the heart of Stockholm, Sweden, are moving right along.

Back in November last year, Norwegian ferry operator Torghatten announced that it was planning to operate a small autonomous ferry in Stockholm, Sweden, and that shipbuilder Brødrene Aa had been given the order to build the 25-passenger vessel. Now that ferry, the Estelle, is set to be inaugurated and christened tomorrow, June 8, at Norr Mälarstrand in Stockholm, where the ferry line will soon start operating regularly.

Torghatten is using technology from another Norwegian company, Zeabuz, in the project. Zeabuz was founded in 2019 as a spin-off of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s progressive research center for autonomous marine operations and systems. The company’s mission to make waterborne mobility sustainable, safe, and profitable and it provides a suite of adaptable autonomy solutions that offer optimized vessel operations and innovative human-machine cooperation.

Estelle is a sustainable and green pioneer, offering a solution to traffic congestion and inspiring alternative modes of transportation,” says Torghatten CEO Stein Andre Herigstad-Olsen. “With its electric, self-driving capabilities and advanced digital security, Estelle sets the stage for future advancements in the industry. We are incredibly proud to be part of this historic moment, launching the world’s first commercial, emission-free, electric, autonomous passenger ferry right in the heart of a Scandinavian metropolis.”

Supported by Zeabuz’s technology, Torghatten envisions a future where autonomous ferries, operating under the brand name Zeam (Zero Emission Autonomous Mobility), seamlessly connect neighborhoods and cities worldwide.

All Zeabuz’s products are built on flexible and modular system architecture, enabling adaptation to specific segments, vessel types, and operations. Underscoring its global ambitions, Zeabuz also recently teamed up with Singapore’s Yinson Green Tech, planning to boost the safety and efficiency of its new fleet of electric harbor craft.

“We aim to radically change the way we think about mobility by creating shortcuts in cities, utilizing urban waterways as virtual bridges, enabled by the Zeabuz autonomy solutions,” says Zeabus CEO Erik Dyrkoren. “Our collaboration with Torghatten seeks to connect communities affordably and sustainably, not only in Stockholm but in the large number of cities with navigable waters worldwide. The launch of this service marks a significant step towards realizing this vision.”

Estelle’s regular operations are scheduled to commence on Monday, June 12. Although equipped with state-of-the-art autonomous technology, the vessel will initially have an operator on board. but the aim is to operate the ferry service unmanned and with onshore supervision in 2024.

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