Explore a conference talk delving into the groundbreaking Yara Birkeland project, examining Yara and Kongsberg's motivations for pursuing autonomous shipping. Gain insights into the historical development of autonomy in maritime operations, leading to the essential components for unmanned vessels. Discover the functional building blocks and their integration into system and software architecture. Contemplate future opportunities for autonomous functionality and its potential to revolutionize the maritime industry. Learn about different levels of autonomy, development areas, configuration management, remote operation, safety considerations, and upcoming operational and logistical challenges in this transformative field.