The world's first ammonia-powered container ship, the Yara Eyde, will sail between Oslo, Brevik, Hamburg, Bremerhaven, and is optimized for the trade corridor between Norway and Europe, Interesting Engineering reported on November 3.
The project is being carried out by Yara Clean Energy, a subsidiary of Norwegian ammonia producer Yara International, in collaboration with maritime logistics company North Sea Container Line. The ship will be operated by NCL Oslo, a joint venture between the companies.
"The green journey began with the Yara Birkeland, the world's first autonomous electric container ship, and we are now continuing it with the Yara Eyde, which is set to become the world's first container ship powered by pure ammonia," said Svein Tore Holsether, CEO of Yara International.
Shipping accounts for 2.8% of global CO2 emissions, or 706 million tonnes of CO2 in 2022. Pure ammonia would help reduce emissions, allowing goods to be transported without emitting any pollutants.
“Ammonia is a zero-polluting fuel. When we produce ammonia from renewable energy or natural gas, 95% of CO2 emissions can be captured and stored permanently, and pure ammonia is quickly becoming a good solution to reduce carbon emissions in the maritime sector,” explains Magnus Krogh Ankarstrand, head of Yara Clean Ammonia at Yara International.
A storage and refuelling network is being built in partnership with Azane Fuel Solutions to deliver pure ammonia to Norwegian ports, then to ports in Scandinavia. The fuel network could also help Norway meet its emissions reduction targets from offshore industries.
The Yara Eyde will run on ammonia initially, then be fitted with a 250 kWh battery with the ability to connect to shore power. The new containership will help reduce CO2 emissions by 11,000 tonnes per year. The Yara Eyde is expected to enter service in 2026, but the companies have not released further details on the exact specifications of the ship.
