Hey friends,

In 2022, vessels like the Norwegian Yara Birkeland—the world’s first fully electric, autonomous container ship—made global headlines. These projects signaled the start of a revolutionary shift toward crewless and zero-emission logistics.

Now, in 2025, we are past the 'hype' cycle. We have moved from proof-of-concept to real-world operation. The critical question for supply chain leaders, logistics planners, and procurement managers is no longer “Is it possible?” but “Is it a viable, scalable option for my global supply chain today, and what are the true lessons learned from these pioneering years?”

The reality is segmented: short-sea autonomy is a proven, strategic success, while deep-sea autonomy still faces significant, non-technical friction.