Yara Unveils World's First Clean Ammonia-Powered Container Ship

Jace Dela Cruz, Tech Times 01 December 2023, 05:12 am

In collaboration with North Sea Container Line and Yara Clean Ammonia, Yara International unveils an innovative venture to create the world's first container ship powered by clean ammonia.

The vessel, named Yara Eyde, is poised to be the first to sail emission-free sea route between Norway and Germany, marking a significant stride in the maritime industry's pursuit of sustainable practices.

(Photo : Yara)

All About Yara Eyde

Svein Tore Holsether, President and CEO of Yara International, expressed enthusiasm, saying, "Yara Eyde will be the world's first container ship running on clean ammonia and is a cross-sector collaboration enabling large-scale emission reductions ahead of the critical 2030 climate targets."

Yara International, a founding member of the First Movers Coalition and a supporter of the Green Shipping Challenge, advocates for low-carbon solutions in challenging sectors.

According to the company, the adoption of clean ammonia as a fuel for both new and retrofitted zero-emission vessels aligns with this commitment. Yara Eyde is strategically designed for the trade corridor connecting Norway and Germany, servicing routes between Oslo, Porsgrunn, Hamburg, and Bremerhaven.

Commencing in 2026, Norwegian companies can engage in emissions-free trade, as Yara International participates as a cargo owner. The transportation of fertilizer from Porsgrunn in Norway to Germany is expected to reduce scope three emissions by 11,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.

Bente Hetland of North Sea Container Line recognized the growing demand from cargo owners to minimize emissions, emphasizing that Yara Eyde provides competitive and emission-free logistics to meet this demand.

Magnus Krogh Ankarstrand, President of Yara Clean Ammonia, underscored the pivotal role of incentivizing carriers to opt for low-carbon fuels to successfully decarbonize shipping.

Yara Clean Ammonia AS and North Sea Container Line AS are forming a joint venture to bring Yara Eyde to fruition, with operational management handled by NCL Oslofjord AS.

The joint venture aims to be the world's first line operator, exclusively focusing on ammonia-powered container ships. Enova, providing over NOK 40 million in support, plays a decisive role in realizing the project.

Ambitious Emissions Strategy

Hetland highlighted the strategic alignment of Yara's commitment with North Sea Container Line's ambitious emissions strategy, emphasizing the shared dedication to emission reduction.

Maritime transport currently contributes around 3% of global CO2 emissions, and adopting clean ammonia is expected to curtail shipping emissions substantially, according to the International Maritime Organisation.

Ankarstrand anticipated that Yara Eyde would serve as a groundbreaking example, showcasing the viability of clean ammonia as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly maritime fuel, contributing to zero-emission supply chains.

"This unique project takes a major step towards zero-emission supply chains for Yara and demonstrates that clean ammonia will be able to provide cost-effective and environmentally friendly maritime transport. Yara Eyde will demonstrate the maturity of ammonia as a maritime fuel," Ankarstrand noted.