Berge Rederi signs with Wattlab for 96 Solar Flatracks on the BRF Froan.
One week after the Vertom Tula, Wattlab signs its third seagoing contract. This time for the world’s largest battery-powered bulk carrier.
Wattlab signed a contract at Europort Rotterdam with Norwegian shipping company Berge Rederi to outfit the BRF Froan with 96 Solar Flatracks. The vessel is currently under construction and will be the world’s largest battery-powered bulk carrier. It is expected to be delivered in Q2 2026 and will transport marble between Norway and a production plant in Elnesvågen.
The contract was signed just one week after Wattlab delivered its first full-scale seagoing installation on the Vertom Tula. Two projects in two weeks signals something: demand for solar in seagoing shipping is real and it is growing.
“It is an honour that with our second seagoing project, we as a scale-up can be part of such an innovative vessel as the BRF Froan.”
Why Berge Rederi chose Wattlab
Berge Rederi is a family-owned Norwegian shipping company with a long track record in bulk shipping. They were already committed to building an extraordinary vessel. What drew them to Wattlab was not just the product. It was the people behind it.
“The knowledge that Bo Salet and David Kester have shown about vessel operations was key in our decision-making process. They understand the things that a shipowner has to take into account. They know what kind of damages can come about, and how to prevent them. So far, our collaboration is moving ahead smoothly.”
Wattlab is currently the only solar power supplier focused entirely on the maritime industry. That specialisation shows in the details. The Solar Flatrack system is designed so the crew only needs minimal time stacking the panels during loading. And if the deck needs to be cleared for special cargo, all 96 units can be stacked on the footprint of a single 20-foot container.
Bo Salet and David Kester at Europort Rotterdam, where the contract was signed.
A vessel built around zero emissions
The BRF Froan is not a typical bulk carrier. Berge Rederi has built it from the ground up as a zero-emission vessel. On top of Wattlab’s 172.8 kWp solar system, the ship features two 24-metre rotor sails that save an average of 339 kW per voyage. A 23.5 MWh battery package will be charged at shore power facilities in both the loading port in Brønnøy and the discharge port in Elnesvågen. An electric excavator takes care of cargo operations without any emissions.
Installation timeline
The vessel will sail to Norway in summer 2026. At a stop-over in Flushing, the Netherlands, Wattlab will install the 96 Solar Flatracks in a single day. Production starts in May at their facility in the Port of Rotterdam.
For Wattlab, the BRF Froan represents a doubling of capacity compared to the Vertom Tula, both in number of panels and total output. It shows that the technology is ready to scale. Bo Salet puts it plainly: “This proves that both in the Netherlands and internationally there is real demand for solar energy in shipping. Our tested and proven technology is ready to be deployed at scale.”
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