Yara Clean Ammonia, North Sea Container Line, and Yara International have joined forces to develop the world's first containership powered by pure ammonia.

The vessel, named Yara Eyde, will operate between Norway and Germany, establishing the first emission-free sea route to the European continent. 

Svein Tore Holsether, CEO of Yara International, stresses that the world is facing a climate crisis and the need for decisive action to reduce emissions is more urgent than ever. "We are happy to be able to collaborate across sectors and show that decisive emission cuts are possible," says Holsether.

This latest endeavour follows Yara's successful launch of Yara Birkeland, the world's first autonomous and zero-emission electric-powered containership. It takes it a step further by utilizing pure ammonia as fuel.

Yara Eyde has been optimized to operate between Norway and Europe, serving ports in Oslo, Brevik, Hamburg, and Bremerhaven. Starting in 2026, Norwegian companies will have the opportunity to export their products with a minimal carbon footprint, while imports into Norway can be emission-free.

Recognizing the increasing demand from cargo owners to reduce emissions, Bente Hetland of North Sea Container Line highlighted the competitive and emission-free logistics the ship offers, benefiting cargo owners in the Oslofjord and the broader Greenland region.

"Yara has chosen to participate in this project to show that this segment can create additional growth for ammonia in the short term," says Magnus Krogh Ankarstrand, head of Yara Clean Ammonia. Yara focuses on developing the production and logistics segment, prioritizing ownership of ships.

The use of pure ammonia as a fuel shows promise in reducing emissions from ocean-going ships. By producing ammonia from renewable energy or capturing and permanently storing up to 95% of CO2 emissions when using natural gas, it emerges as a viable solution for cutting carbon emissions in the maritime sector.

Yara's ammonia containership initiative aims to transport fertilizer emission-free, reducing CO2 emissions by 11,000 tons per year and contributing to food production for millions of people worldwide.

Establishing the joint venture NCL Oslofjord AS, between Yara Clean Ammonia AS and North Sea Container Line AS, is considered a crucial step in the process. This joint venture, with Enova's financial support, aims to become the first line operator exclusively focused on ammonia-powered container ships, contributing to climate goals.