This week and the next, the Trondheim Fjord and Nyhavna are once again buzzing with activity as student teams from around the world arrive to prepare for this year’s edition of Njord Challenge. The competition in autonomous ships is organized by students at NTNU and has become an important arena for connecting future technologists with today’s maritime industry.

The first week, from August 4–10, is dedicated to testing, technical development, and mentoring. The competition itself kicks off August 11 and runs until August 15, featuring open demo days and finals held at Nyhavna.

World-Class Technology in Action

The teams will tackle complex maritime tasks using Autonomous Surface Vessels (ASVs), including collision avoidance, autonomous docking, and maneuvering – all performed at autonomy level 4, meaning fully unmanned operations.

“Njord Challenge is a truly unique arena for both recruitment and innovation,” says Frode Halvorsen, General Manager of Ocean Autonomy Cluster. “Students get to test technology and solutions in real-world conditions, while the industry meets some of the brightest minds in maritime autonomy. This is a competition we are proud to support.”

Njord Challenge 2024. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri

Bridging Education and Industry

The competition started with a digital pilot in 2021 and has been held physically at Nyhavna since 2023. It has grown rapidly in both scale and ambition. This year’s program combines hands-on testing with digital simulation through the use of digital twins – a method that accelerates iteration and learning.

“Our goal is to give students hands-on experience with technology and real-world problem solving,” says Kasper T. Langland, Project Manager of Njord Challenge. “We want to bridge the gap between education and industry and establish Trondheim as a natural hub for autonomous shipping.”

Ocean Autonomy Cluster has been a partner since the beginning, and the competition has evolved into a vital meeting point between students, academia, and the maritime sector.

Njord Challenge 2024. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri

Collaboration, Sharing and Inspiration

Last year’s winner, Navier USN from the University of South-Eastern Norway, impressed with their technical solutions and open sharing of AI models – reflecting the competition’s strong culture of collaboration and knowledge exchange.

This year’s challenge brings together teams from across the globe and is supported by sponsors such as Kongsberg Discovery, DNV, MathWorks, SINTEF, NTNU, and Torghatten. The competition days, August 11–15, feature an open day, sponsor visits, and finals in the fjord – with Nyhavna as the stage for tomorrow’s maritime solutions.

Winners of Njord Challenge 2024: Navier USN. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri

Teams Competing in 2025

• AGH Solar Boat – AGH University of Science and Technology (Poland)

• Navi – Bahçeşehir University (Turkey)

• Técnico Solar Boat – Instituto Superior Técnico (Portugal)

• NODE – IAAC (Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, Spain)

• Greenship – Istanbul Technical University (Turkey)

• Team AMORE (Autonomous Marine Operations for Renewable Energy) – Lake Superior State University (USA)

• Innovators of Blue Ocean – The University of Tokyo & Osaka University (Japan)

• Strathvoyager – University of Strathclyde (UK)

• ITU AutoBee – Istanbul Technical University (Turkey)

• YTU – Stars of Hydro – Yıldız Technical University (Turkey)

• PRU-İDA – Piri Reis University (Turkey)

• Navier USN – University of South-Eastern Norway (Norway)