Dutch solar technology company Wattlab has signed an agreement with Norwegian shipping firm Berge Rederi to install a solar energy system on the BRF Froan, which is stated to be the world’s largest zero-emission, battery-powered bulk carrier when it enters service in summer 2026.
The BRF Froan, which is scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2026, will transport marble from Brønnøy and Visnes to Elnesvågen in Norway. Construction is currently underway, with the ship expected to sail to Norway next summer.
Under the new agreement, Wattlab will install 96 of its Solar Flatracks on the ship’s hatches, providing a total capacity of 172.8kWp – about twice the output of Wattlab’s previous project. The company plans to manufacture the components at its new facility in the Port of Rotterdam and complete installation during a stopover in Flushing in the Netherlands when the vessel sails to Norway.
The modular solar panels are designed for rapid installation and can be temporarily removed or stacked to accommodate special cargo. Wattlab, which focuses exclusively on maritime solar solutions, said the system is intended to reduce reliance on shore charging and extend battery life during operations.
The BRF Froan will also feature two rotor sails measuring 24m by 4m, expected to save approximately 339 kW of energy per voyage. Its 23.5MWh battery pack will be charged via shore power facilities at both loading and unloading ports, supporting fully electric and emission-free cargo handling.
Bo Salet, co-founder and CEO of Wattlab, said, “First of all, we thank Berge Rederi for trusting our system – and us. It is an honor that with our second seagoing project, we, as a scale-up, can be a part of such an innovative vessel as the BRF Froan. In addition, this proves that both in the Netherlands and internationally there is a real demand for solar energy in shipping. It also shows that our tested and proven technology is ready to be deployed at scale.”
Oivind Berge, owner of Berge Rederi, commented, “The knowledge that Bo Salet and Davd Kester have shown about vessel operations was key in our decision-making process. Berge Rederi is always looking to innovate. We were already familiar with their recent project for a Dutch shipowner, which demonstrated not only the installation process, but also the system’s real-world performance and operations.”
When completed, the BRF Froan will combine large-scale battery propulsion, wind-assisted propulsion and solar energy.
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