India's Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) has clinched a deal for up to four autonomous ships for use in Norway.
It has signed contracts with ASKO Maritime, a subsidiary of one of Norway's largest food retailers, for two unmanned electric cargo ferries.
There are also options for two more vessels, but no delivery date or price has been revealed.
The yard called the deal a "prestigious export order".
The project is being partially funded by the Norwegian government and is aimed at the emissions-free transport of goods across the Oslo Fjord, rather than using trucks.
The newbuildings will be managed by Massterly, the pioneering unmanned shipping company formed in 2018 by technology company Kongsberg and shipowner Wilh Wilhelmsen Holding.
Boxship work halted
The world's first autonomous ship project, to build the 120-teu containership Yara Birkeland, was put on hold in May due to the coronavirus epidemic.
The vessel was due to run this year between Heroya and the ports of Brevik and Larvik.
Massterly was also involved in this scheme. The hull was launched at the Vard shipyard in Romania in February.
Regarding the new ASKO ship design, CSL said: "Once in operation, this vessel will create a new benchmark for the merchant shipping world in the field of autonomous vessels with zero carbon emission."
The ferries are 67 metres long and powered by 1846 kWh of battery capacity.
After sea trials in Norway, they will start loading 16 trailers of goods at a time.
The ships have been designed by Naval Dynamics in Norway using Kongsberg Maritime systems, with detailed engineering to be carried out by CSL.
They will be built under DNV GL classification and flagged in Norway.
CSL said it won an international tender for the contract.
The yard is already constructing 23 hybrid electric ferries for Kochi Water Metro.
"This project is expected to catapult CSL into the league of premier shipbuilding yards in the world capable of handling high tech vessel construction," it added.
