During the Europort Rotterdam event, Norwegian shipping company Berge Rederi signed a contract with Dutch company Wattlab to equip the BRF Froan, the world’s largest electric bulk carrier, with its Solar FlatRack solar power system.
The system will be installed during a technical stopover in Flushing, the Netherlands, in a process that will take only one day thanks to its modular design. The BRF Froan is scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2026, and its main route will be transporting marble from Brønnøy and Visnes to Elnesvågen in Norway.
About the project
The BRF Froan is no ordinary ship, it is an ambitious project to create a zero-emission cargo ship and to achieve this, Berge Rederi will combine several technologies, among which are:
- Battery electric propulsion: It will have a gigantic 23.5 MWh battery that will be charged with electricity from the grid in port.
- Rotor sails: Two large 24m high rotating cylinders that harness the wind to generate “extra thrust”, saving a lot of energy (an average of 339 kW per trip).
- Wattlab solar panels: 96 flat solar panels in total, which will generate 172.8 kWp of energy to help power the ship’s systems and reduce the load on the main batteries.
Why is the contract with Wattlab important?
Wattlab does not sell ordinary solar panels, but systems designed specifically for the harsh marine environment, capable of preventing damage from salt, wind, vibrations, etc. Berge Rederi chose them both for their technology and their practical knowledge of shipping operations, as they understand the real needs of a ship and its crew.
Moreover, this agreement represents the second major maritime project for Wattlab, after recently completing an installation aboard the Vertom Tula with the same system.
First of all, we would like to thank Berge Rederi for their confidence in our system and in us. It is an honor that, with our second maritime project, we can, as an expanding company, be part of such an innovative vessel as the BRF Froan. Furthermore, it shows that both in the Netherlands and internationally there is a real demand for solar energy in the maritime sector. It also shows that our tried and tested technology is ready for large-scale implementation.
Bo Salet, co-founder and CEO of Wattlab.
What is the relevance of this news?
The announcement of this contract is an excellent example of the green transition in shipping, a sector traditionally difficult to decarbonize. difficult to decarbonize. It shows how shipping companies are combining different solutions, such as batteries, wind assistance with rotor sails and solar energy, to achieve completely emission-free operations.
Source: Wattlab
