France’s first hydrogen-powered river vessel, the Zulu 06, launched on the Seine in Paris at the start of December.
“The successful integration of fuel cells into the riverboat Zulu 06, soon to operate commercially in the heart of Paris, marks a significant technical and regulatory milestone,” said Valérie Bouillon-Delporte, executive director of the Clean Hydrogen Partnership – and the vessel’s godmother. “Building on the momentum of the Flagships project, further applications in river and maritime transportation will enhance air quality, reduce noise pollution and drastically shrink the carbon footprint of waterborne transportation.”
“With the launch of the Zulu 06, we witness a major breakthrough for river transportation and the energy transition in France,” added French minister of transport, François Durovray. “This vessel, the first of its kind powered by hydrogen in the country, embodies France’s commitment to sustainable, innovative and decarbonized mobility. This project is a prime example of European cooperation and synergy between public and private stakeholders for green mobility that is both local and sustainable.”
At 55m in length and with a cargo capacity of 400 tons, the Zulu 06 is a purpose-built solution for urban logistics. The vessel, designed by LMG Marin, has a power generation system supplied by ABB Marine & Ports and two 200kW hydrogen fuel cells delivered by Ballard. The ship can store 300kg of compressed hydrogen, enabling seven days of operational autonomy.
The Zulu 06 was developed through the EU-funded Flagships project, which has spent six years pushing the boundaries of zero-emission waterborne transportation.
“Years of effort have brought us to this incredible milestone,” said Jyrki Mikkola, Flagships project coordinator and senior scientist at VTT. “The deployment of Zulu 06 as the first hydrogen-powered vessel on the Seine is a breakthrough in sustainable logistics. It showcases the collective power of collaboration and innovation within the Flagships project.”
Flagships brings together 11 European partners, emphasizing the critical role of collaboration in achieving decarbonization goals. The Clean Hydrogen Partnership provided financial and technical backing for the program, highlighting the EU’s pivotal role in advancing hydrogen technologies.