Veteran Ghanaian journalist Elizabeth Ohene covered King Charles III’s first visit to Ghana in 1977.
The Yara Birkeland, the world’s first zero-emission electric cargo ship, will set sail in Norway this summer. Yara, a Norwegian chemical corporation, and Kongsberg, a Norwegian marine technology company, collaborated to create the vessel.
The Yara Birkeland is anticipated to be fully operational by 2020 and will be used to convey fertiliser and other chemicals from Yara’s Herya facility to the ports of Brevik and Larvik. The ship will be wholly propelled by electricity, with zero emissions.
As the first autonomous, zero-emissions electric cargo vessel in the world, the initiative is viewed as a significant breakthrough in the shipping industry. It is anticipated to reduce noise and air pollution and reduce operational costs by up to 90 percent compared to conventional diesel vessels.
Since 2016, Yara and Kongsberg have collaborated on the initiative. They intend to use the Yara Birkeland as a template for future initiatives, with the ultimate goal of replacing diesel-powered vessels with autonomous electric ships.
This summer, the first electric cargo ship with zero emissions will set sail. The initiative is a collaboration between Yara, a Norwegian chemical corporation, and Kongsberg, a Norwegian marine technology company.
The Yara Birkeland will be propelled solely by electricity and will produce no emissions. It will be used to convey fertiliser and other chemicals from Yara’s Herya facility to the Brevik and Larvik ports.
This revolutionary innovation in the maritime industry is anticipated to reduce noise and air pollution and reduce operating costs by up to 90 percent compared to traditional diesel vessels. It will also serve as a paradigm for future initiatives with the ultimate goal of replacing diesel-powered ships with autonomous electric ships.
Yara and Kongsberg have been working on this project since 2016 and are nearing their objective of launching the world’s first autonomous, zero-emission electric cargo vessel. The Yara Birkeland will set sail in Norway this summer and may revolutionise the maritime industry.
The Yara Birkeland is anticipated to have a significant impact on the global transport of products and the global environment. It could reduce noise and air pollution and reduce operating costs by up to 90% compared to conventional diesel vessels. Since 2016, Yara and Kongsberg have been collaborating on the project, which is anticipated to be fully operational by 2020.
This could be a significant stride forward for sustainable shipping, with the development of more electric vessels in the future. If effective, this could result in a significant reduction of emissions from the global maritime industry and contribute to the protection of our environment for future generations.
