The ship will help significantly reduce carbon emissions. Credit: Yara International ASA.

Norwegian company Yara International has held a christening ceremony for Yara Birkeland, an autonomous emission-free container ship.

Yara carried out the christening of the electric and autonomous ship, claimed to be a world first of its type, near the Yara Porsgrunn plant.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

The ceremony was attended by 500 local students and Crown Prince of Norway, Haakon Magnus.

In his speech, Magnus said: “It takes courage to create something new. It requires investment, patience, and an ability to not give up after the first try. Innovation requires trial and error – and trial and error again – until you succeed.”

Expected to enter service this year, the electric vessel will be used for the shipment of fertiliser across the fjord from Yara’s Porsgrunn plant to Brevik port, helping in a carbon emissions reduction of 40,000 diesel truckloads a year.

Yara worked with various Norwegian partners for the development of the battery-driven ship.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

The technology for the vessel was developed and delivered by Kongsberg Maritime. Vard constructed the autonomous ship.

Kongsberg Group and Massterly’s joint venture (JV) will operate Yara Birkeland.

Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment’s Enova provided funding of NOK133.5m ($14.2m) for the construction of the new electric ship.

Yara International president and CEO Svein Tore Holsether said: “Yara took a bold decision in 2017. We wanted to build the world’s first carbon-free container vessel.

“Today, five years later, we celebrate the outcome of this ambitious decision. Yara Birkeland is a result of ambition, curiosity, and collaboration where innovation, sustainability and technology come together.”