Stockholm Sails Into Green Future With First Autonomous Fully-Electric Ferry

Get ready to say hello to Zeam, the potential future of water transportation. Zeam is an autonomous, fully electric passenger ferry that will soon be speeding through the canals of Stockholm. This innovative and eco-friendly vessel was dreamed up by a team at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), who created Zeabuz, the technology company responsible for its autonomous system.

Once operational, Zeam will be a sleek 39-foot-long catamaran designed to carry up to 25 passengers at a time. The ferry will have 15 hours of continuous electric power each day. And with boarding decks on both sides of the boat, passengers can quickly embark and disembark from any location along the waterways.

As you step aboard Zeam, you’ll be welcomed by an open-air deck covered with a roof, offering a comfortable and protected area to relax and take in the stunning views of the city. And with one crew member on board and a control room on land, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride, knowing you’re in safe hands.

The company’s ultimate goal is to control the vessel solely from the control room, allowing for greater efficiency and safety. And with the potential to expand to other cities worldwide, Zeam is set to change how people think about urban mobility. However, for now, it will be operating between the islands of Kungsholmen and Søder Mellarstrand in Stockholm.

By providing citizens with an alternative to traditional forms of transportation, Zeam is helping to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable living.

Last year, NTNU released a prototype of the Zeam in Norway. It was touted as the first all-electric autonomous ferry, and on its maiden journey, it could only carry 12 passengers. The test vessel was in preparation for what would eventually be Zeam.

“Many large cities around the world have problems with congestion, lack of capacity, and environmental and air pollution. Self-driving technology will be part of the solution and will be good for both the climate and people,” notes Reidun Svarva, Chief Business Development Officer at Torghatten. “Instead of being barriers, the water surfaces will sew the city together and become a shortcut for all Stockholmers.”

[via Interesting Engineering and Motorship, images via Zeam/Cision]