Yara International launches world’s first clean ammonia-powered containership

Yara Clean Ammonia, North Sea Container Line, and Yara International have collaborated to build the world’s first containership powered by clean ammonia.

Named Yara Eyde, the vessel will be the first to sail emission-free sea route between Norway and Germany.

Svein Tore Holsether, President and CEO of Yara International, said: “Yara Eyde will be the world’s first containership running on clean ammonia and is a cross-sector collaboration enabling large-scale emission reductions ahead of the critical 2030 climate targets.”

Yara International and Yara Clean Ammonia promote low-carbon solutions in difficult-to-abate industries, as well as clean ammonia as a fuel in zero-emission vessels, both new and retrofitted.

Yara Eyde will travel between Oslo, Porsgrunn, Hamburg, and Bremerhaven, and is tailored for the commercial corridor between Norway and Germany.

According to Yara, Norwegian businesses will be able to trade emissions-free items in and out of Norway beginning in 2026.

The fertiliser produced in Porsgrunn will be shipped emission-free to Germany, cutting scope 3 emissions with 11,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.

Bente Hetland of North Sea Container Line, stated: “We see an increasing demand from cargo owners to reduce emissions. Yara Eyde offers competi-tive and emission-free logistics to cargo owners.

“With our industrial DNA from our main shareholder Elkem, North Sea Container Line is very pleased to see Birkeland and Eyde reunite to facilitate a new industrial revolution. The partnership with Yara fits perfectly with our ambitious emissions strategy, and we are pleased to see the commitment Yara has shown to reduce emissions.”

Magnus Krogh Ankarstrand, President of Yara Clean Ammonia, said: “To succeed in decarbonising shipping, low-emission technologies must be brought to commercial scale within the next decade. It is imperative that carriers are incentivised to choose low-carbon fuel.

“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.”

Yara Clean Ammonia AS and North Sea Container Line AS are establishing a joint venture to realise Yara Eyde, while the ship will be operated by NCL Oslofjord AS.

The joint company intends to be the world’s first line operator to exclusively focus on ammonia-powered containerships. Enova has reportedly given Yara Eyde more than NOK40 million ($3.7 million), and the assistance is critical for the project’s implementation.

In July, Yara Marine Technologies collaborated with partners to create a semi-autonomous voyage planning system based on artificial intelligence (AI).