As a follow-up to the "Autonomous Maritime Systems" seminar held on May 13, a German-Norwegian delegation spent the following day experiencing cutting-edge maritime technology firsthand during a series of site visits in Trondheim.

The program was organized by the German-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce in close collaboration with the Ocean Autonomy Cluster and included participants from German industry, research, and policy.

Torghatten Electric ferry Flakk-Rørvik. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Ocean Autonomy Cluster

Electric ferries and autonomous transport

The day began with a ferry ride across the Trondheimsfjord on the fully electric MF Lagatun, operated by Torghatten. During the trip between Flakk and Rørvik, the group received a guided tour and presentation from the ferry operator about how electrification and automation are transforming regional transport.

The next stop was Trondheim city center, where participants boarded the autonomous city ferry milliAmpere 2 for a demonstration voyage along the canal. Developed through collaboration between NTNU and key maritime autonomy stakeholders, milliAmpere 2 showcases the potential of self-driving ferries in urban mobility.

Torghatten electric ferry Flakk-Rørvik. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Ocean Autonomy Cluster

Industry insight at Trondheim Maritime Center

After a networking lunch at Trondheim Maritime Center, the delegation visited the offices of Zeabuz, one of Norway’s leading developers of autonomous ferry technology. Øyvind Smogeli and colleagues provided insight into how Zeabuz is commercializing research from NTNU to enable safe, self-driving waterborne transport in cities worldwide.

The group also visited the NTNU Shore Control Lab, where researchers presented their work on remote operation and human-machine interaction in autonomous systems. A guided tour of the lab included live demonstrations of control systems and simulators used in research and education.

During the visit to Trondheim Maritime Center, the delegation also received a brief introduction to Testination—a new national test infrastructure for ocean technologies. Testination links physical and digital test facilities along the Norwegian coast, offering developers a comprehensive environment to test and validate ocean autonomy solutions in realistic conditions.

The group also received a presentation from the energy cluster RENERGY, highlighting regional initiatives for the energy transition and opportunities for cross-sector collaboration.

NTNU's autonomous city ferry milliAmpere 2. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Ocean Autonomy Cluster

Strengthening ties for a smarter maritime future

The site visits provided a hands-on look at how Norwegian players are testing and deploying maritime autonomy solutions. The exchange of ideas continued throughout the day, with both German and Norwegian participants discussing common challenges such as regulation, data infrastructure, and opportunities for collaboration on sustainable maritime transport.

The delegation included representatives from several German companies specializing in maritime technology and innovation, including Addix, Anschütz, AP Sensing, In-innovative navigation, JEOL, Kaiko Systems, Konzept Informationssysteme, PEM Motion, TASW and Tesvolt Ocean. These companies presented their technologies and aspirations for collaboration during the seminar on May 13, and their representatives actively participated in the site visits, fostering dialogue and exploring potential partnerships with Norwegian counterparts.

CEO/CTO & Co-founder of Zeabuz, Øyvind Smogeli. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Ocean Autonomy Cluster

These companies presented their technologies and aspirations for collaboration during the seminar on May 13, and their representatives actively participated in the site visits, fostering dialogue and exploring potential partnerships with Norwegian counterparts.

The Ocean Autonomy Cluster extends its gratitude to all hosts and partners, including Torghatten, NTNU, Zeabuz and the German-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce for making the program a success.

Pictures from the visit

Pictures from Torghatten Flakk-Rørvik, milliAmpere2, Zeabuz and NTNU Shore Control Lab at Trondheim Maritime Centre. All photos: Lars Bugge Aarset/Ocean Autonomy Cluster