CMB.TECH to own first-ever ammonia-powered boxship
CMB.TECH has ordered the world’s first ammonia-powered container vessel in partnership with Yara Clean Ammonia, North Sea Container Line, and Yara International through a 15-year deal.
The vessel, named Yara Eyde, is a 1,400 teu ice-class container ship to be built at Qingdao Yangfan Shipbuilding. The vessel is expected to be delivered by mid-2026 and will become the world’s first ammonia-powered container vessel. It will run on clean ammonia, serving routes between Norway and Germany.
The vessel will be owned by Delphis, the container division of CMB.TECH and operated by NCL Oslofjord – a joint venture between North Sea Container Line and Yara Clean Ammonia. The commercial operations will be managed by NCL’s existing set-up while Yara Clean Ammonia will deliver ammonia fuel to the vessel.
The JV has secured a long-term contract of affreightment with Yara International for the transport of containers between Yara’s fertilizer plant in Porsgrunn, Norway, and Hamburg and Bremerhaven, Germany. NCL Oslofjord aims to become the world’s first line operator to focus exclusively on ammonia-powered ships.
“Yara, NCL, and CMB.TECH are walking the talk to decarbonise shipping by combining our know-how on clean ammonia, operational excellence in the North Sea and state-of-the-art low-carbon ships. We want to prove to the world that we can decarbonise today to navigate tomorrow,” said Alexander Saverys, CEO of CMB.TECH.
“The project proves that decarbonisation is possible today, and we are confident that the project will pave the way for clean ammonia as a dominating fuel in the industry,” Bente Hetland, CEO of NCL, added.
Earlier this month, more than 99% of shareholders in Euronav voted in favour of the $1.15bn cash acquisition of CMB.TECH.
The deal will see the Antwerp-based dual-listed tanker giant with a fleet of 50 ships on a fully-delivered basis buy a diversified group comprised of four divisions that, among other things, builds, owns, operates and designs hydrogen and ammonia-powered ships in offshore wind support, dry bulk, container, chemical tanker, and other segments.
