The World’s First Crewless Cargo Ship Will Launch Next Year

Yara Birkeland is developing a crewless automated cargo ship, first of its kind in the world. The ship which is expected to launch in 2018 is designed to used GPS, radar and sensors to navigate itself around other boats and dock itself.

 It’s anticipated to cost around $25 million, which is about three times as much as a standard container ship of the same size. But investors say without the need for fuel or crew, annual operating costs would be cut by up to 90 percent.

Founded in 1905 to solve emerging famine in Europe, today, Yara has a worldwide presence, with close to 15,000 employees and sales to about 160 countries