French shipping giant Sogestran Group has introduced a groundbreaking development in the realm of inland water transport: the Zulu 06.
Claiming the title as France’s first hydrogen fuel cell-powered river vessel, this marks a significant leap towards sustainable shipping practices.
Zulu 06 is a 55-meter-long vessel with a cargo capacity of 400 tonnes, designed to transport both palletised and containerised goods. Primarily operating within Paris, the vessel is managed by Sogestran’s subsidiary, Compagnie Fluvial de Transport. Equipped with advanced technology, it features a power generation system from ABB Marine and Ports, and two 200kW hydrogen fuel cells from Ballard. These cells use 300 kg of compressed hydrogen, allowing the vessel to operate autonomously for seven days, highlighting its efficiency and reliability.
Zulu 06 is part of the EU-funded FLAGSHIPS project, an initiative showcasing hydrogen propulsion and PEM fuel cell technology via two demonstrator vessels. Alongside Zulu 06, this project includes another vessel—Future Proof Shipping’s H2 Barge 2—which has been modified to operate along the Rhine, linking Rotterdam and Duisburg.
The design of Zulu 06 was crafted by the renowned Norwegian naval architecture firm LMG Marin. Their expertise has ensured the vessel not only meets environmental benchmarks but also stands as a modern engineering marvel, positioning Sogestran at the forefront of eco-friendly shipping solutions.
