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What if a ferry could run quietly through the night, docking with millimetre precision, serving an island community without burning a drop of diesel? We sit down with Erik Froste, CEO of Swedish Road Ferries, to unpack how a state operator is turning that vision into daily reality—one vessel, one route, and one carefully tested software update at a time.

Erik takes us from the captain’s bridge to the control room, explaining why autonomy in maritime isn’t a novelty; it’s an answer to real problems: emissions, safety, and access. Sweden’s Vision 45 pairs electrification with digitalisation, then layers in automation and autonomy to reduce energy use, slash CO2, and make crossings safer than ever with auto-docking, automated mooring, and collision-avoidance systems. The human story shines through: extending 24/7 ferry service can keep elders on their islands, support caregivers at night, and preserve community life—all while navigating a growing shortage of skilled sailors.

We also dive into the operating model behind the technology. Modularity and digital twins ensure every vessel shares a common architecture, updates get validated ashore, and failures don’t cascade across the fleet. Training shifts from diesel engines to battery management systems, high-voltage safety, and data from thousands of sensors. Some captains move into remote operations centres; others lead on-water trials. Along the way, Sweden’s public ownership unlocks openness across Nordic and global partners, accelerating learning with Kongsberg, universities, and peers in Japan and Norway, and providing the evidence regulators need to approve new levels of autonomy.

If you’re curious about autonomous shipping, electric ferries, maritime safety technology, or how public–private collaboration accelerates climate-positive transport, this conversation offers a grounded blueprint. Subscribe, share with a colleague who cares about clean mobility, and leave a review with your biggest question about autonomous ferries—what would you want to see tested next?

The Autonomy Journals showcase leading voices, sharing insights, learnings, lessons and perhaps some confessions from the Autonomy Journey in transport and mobility.

Subscribe to the Autonomy Journals and join us next time as we continue exploring how Norway leads the way in autonomous mobility solutions. Because in Norway, we do it.

SAMS is a private, non-profit innovation cluster for sustainable, autonomous mobility solutions and the host of the podcast.

https://www.sams-norway.no/

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Imagine an industry so vital that 90% of everything you touch has traveled on it, yet so traditional that innovation often struggles to find a foothold. This is the maritime world that Caitlin Hardy, founder of Nessie, has dedicated her career to transforming.

From her early days building tiny autonomous sailboats at the US Naval Academy to founding a company that helps startups navigate the complex waters of maritime commerce, Hardy brings a refreshing perspective to one of humanity's oldest trades. "I kept seeing a lot of really amazing technology fail, not because the tech wasn't good, but because they weren't sure how to navigate our industry," she explains, revealing the genesis of her mission to bridge Silicon Valley innovation with seafaring tradition.

Hardy takes us through the fascinating evolution of maritime autonomy, from the Nordic-pioneered dynamic positioning systems of the 1970s to today's cutting-edge unmanned vessels. She challenges common misconceptions about automation, arguing that the goal isn't replacing seafarers but making their jobs safer and more manageable. "We ask so much of seafarers today," she notes, pointing to the increasing demands that connectivity has placed on vessel crews who must simultaneously navigate ships and satisfy shoreside management.

The conversation explores how defense innovation, particularly following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has accelerated commercial maritime technology, creating new possibilities for collaboration between startups and established players. Hardy offers valuable insights for maritime decision-makers on evaluating new technologies: "Don't do autonomy just for autonomy's sake. What is the problem that you're trying to fix?"

Whether you're a maritime professional, a tech entrepreneur looking to enter this space, or simply curious about how one of the world's most essential industries is evolving, this episode offers a thoughtful exploration of where tradition meets innovation on the high seas. Listen now to discover why, as Hardy puts it, "the opportunity for growth in maritime, as it relates to innovation, is really unlimited."

The Autonomy Journals showcase leading voices, sharing insights, learnings, lessons and perhaps some confessions from the Autonomy Journey in transport and mobility.

Subscribe to the Autonomy Journals and join us next time as we continue exploring how Norway leads the way in autonomous mobility solutions. Because in Norway, we do it.

SAMS is a private, non-profit innovation cluster for sustainable, autonomous mobility solutions and the host of the podcast.

https://www.sams-norway.no/

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What does the future of autonomous shipping really look like? Forget the science fiction scenarios of completely unmanned ghost ships navigating the high seas without human oversight. The reality, as revealed by Nils Haktor Bua, head of new maritime technology at the Norwegian Maritime Authority, is far more nuanced and practical.

Norway stands at the forefront of maritime autonomy, pioneering an approach that balances innovation with safety. Bua takes us behind the regulatory curtain, revealing how his department of just seven people is helping shape the future of shipping not just in Norwegian waters but globally through their contributions to the International Maritime Organization's MASS Code (Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships).

"We want to be a partner in development," Bua explains, rejecting the traditional regulatory stance of simply saying "no" to unregulated technologies. This progressive approach has enabled groundbreaking projects like Yara Birkeland, the world's first autonomous container ship, to move from concept to reality. The vessel, designed to replace 40,000 diesel truck journeys annually, represents the kind of practical application driving maritime autonomy – solutions to real-world problems rather than technology for technology's sake.

Perhaps most reassuring is Bua's perspective on how autonomy will affect maritime employment. Rather than eliminating jobs, he sees transformation: "I'm not afraid there will not be jobs for seafarers. There will be a lot of jobs." From control room operations to new roles we haven't yet imagined, maritime careers will evolve alongside the technology. Early results are already proving the value of automation, with even basic autonomous functions delivering immediate 5% energy savings before any machine learning optimization.

Curious about the ships navigating Norway's waters today with autonomous capabilities? Listen to discover the fascinating projects already operational and what's coming next in this maritime revolution. Subscribe to Autonomy Journals for more insights into how Norway is turning autonomous ambitions into everyday reality.

The Autonomy Journals showcase leading voices, sharing insights, learnings, lessons and perhaps some confessions from the Autonomy Journey in transport and mobility.

Subscribe to the Autonomy Journals and join us next time as we continue exploring how Norway leads the way in autonomous mobility solutions. Because in Norway, we do it.

SAMS is a private, non-profit innovation cluster for sustainable, autonomous mobility solutions and the host of the podcast.

https://www.sams-norway.no/