Yara Birkeland
Yara and technology company KONGSBERG have teamed up to build the world's first autonomous and zero-emission container vessel: Yara Birkeland
With this vessel, Yara will remove 40,000 diesel-powered truck journeys every year, and reduce NOx (Nitrogen oxide) and CO2 emissions, improve road safety, reduce road dust formation and traffic noise. The zero-emission vessel will transport mineral fertilizer from Yara's production plant in Porsgrunn, Norway to the regional export port in Brevik.
On the technical side, KONGSBERG is responsible for the development and delivery of all essential technologies at Yara Birkeland. This applies to the sensors and integration required for remote and autonomous operations, as well as electrical propulsion, battery and control systems.
Yara Birkeland was put into commercial operation in Porsgrunn in the spring of 2022. During the first to years of operation, the vessel will go through a gradual transition towards full autonomous sailing
Photo credits: Knut Brevik Andersen, Wilhelmsen Ship Service
On November 18, 2021, Yara Birkeland took its first and only trip to Oslo before it is put into operation.
After departing Horten in the morning, Yara Birkeland arrived in Oslo in the early evening of November 18th for partners to experience the ship first-hand and learn more about the process behind this great achievement.
You can experience some of the journey from Horten to Oslo in this video.
Vessel estimated key figures and facts
120 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) Open Top Container Ship - fully battery powered solution. Prepared for autonomous and unmanned operation
Main particulars
- LOA 80 m
- Beam 15 m
Depth 12 m
- Draught (full) 6 m
- Eco speed 6-7 knots
- Max speed 15 knots
Capacity
- Cargo capacity 120 TEU
- Deadweight 3,200 tons
Propulsion
- Azipull pods 2 x 900 kW
- Tunnel thrusters 2 x 700 kW
Batteries
- Capacity 6.8 MWh
Download images
Visit our Image library to download Yara Birkeland pictures in high-resolution.
Relevant links
Corporate releases
- Crown Prince and youths christen world's first emission-free container ship | Yara International (April 29, 2022)
- Yara to start operating the world's first fully emission-free container ship (November 19, 2021)
- Yara selects Norwegian shipbuilder VARD for zero-emission vessel Yara Birkeland (August 15, 2018)
- Yara and Kalmar to develop world's first fully-digitalized and zero emission cargo solution for Yara Birkeland (May 24, 2018)
- Yara Birkeland design revealed and test model demonstrated for the first time (September 29, 2017)
- YARA and KONGSBERG enter into partnership to build world's first autonomous and zero emissions ship (May 10, 2017)
News and features
- Yara Birkeland wins Norwegian Industry Climate Prize (in Norwegian - November 07, 2018)
- The first ever zero emission, autonomous ship (March 14, 2018)
- Enova to support the building of Yara Birkeland (September 28, 2017)
