Berge Rederi partners with Wattlab to install solar system on BRF Froan
Berge Rederi and Wattlab sign their agreement at Europort (Source: Wattlab)
Norwegian shipowner Berge Rederi has signed a contract with Dutch solar firm Wattlab to equip the coaster BRF Froan with 96 Solar Flatracks, providing 172.8kWp of solar energy – double the output of Wattlab’s previous project. The deal was finalised at Europort in Rotterdam and marks Wattlab’s second seagoing installation following the delivery of its first full-scale project last week.
BRF Froan, a Norway-flagged vessel under construction, will become the world’s largest zero-emission, battery-powered bulk carrier when delivered in the second quarter of 2026. It will transport marble from Brønnøy and Visnes to Elnesvågen. Installation of the solar units will take place in Flushing, Netherlands, next summer and is expected to be completed within a day.
“First of all, we thank Berge Rederi for trusting our system – and us,” said Wattlab co-founder and chief executive Bo Salet. “It is an honour that with our second seagoing project, we can be a part of such an innovative vessel as the BRF Froan.”
Berge Rederi owner Øivind Berge said the company valued Wattlab’s understanding of vessel operations and praised the system’s practicality and ease of installation. The vessel will also feature two 24-m rotor sails and a 23.5-MWh battery package, enabling fully emission-free cargo handling.
