The priority tracks for the European H2Bordeaux project, which intends to examine the hydrogen development potential in the Bordeaux port area, have been made public.

A hydrogen river shuttle, as well as buses, a freight train, and an energy barge, are all on the schedule. The Gironde estuary is home to seven port terminals that make up the Port of Bordeaux. Every year, 65,000 containers deliver 6 million tonnes of commodities, as well as roughly 900 tourist ships. The European H2Bordeaux initiative aims to assist develop the hydrogen sector in the region in order to decarbonize industry and mobility. The ideas should subsequently be duplicated on a larger scale throughout Europe.

The parties in this initiative (Le Grand Port Maritime de Bordeaux, Storengy, and Hensoldt) have been working on many strategies to utilize hydrogen in the port for the past two years, and four of them should be implemented soon.

Decarbonization options for the Port of Bordeaux

The BAT3 river shuttle, which transports people from one side of the Garonne to the other, has its power supply converted. This spacecraft might use up to 15 tonnes of hydrogen each year. It is possible to transform 5-6 boats.
Conversion of the Transport Bordeaux Métropole (TBM) network’s buses to hydrogen: two 400 kg/day stations would be required to green the Bordeaux fleet.
A hydrogen fuel cell battery connection is used to convert a short-distance freight train (or logotractor) to hydrogen.
Design of an energy barge capable of delivering 1.5 MW per day to provide power to dock boats.

“The H2Bordeaux project has fulfilled its mission,” says Jean-Frédéric Laurent, Chairman of the Management Board of the Grand Port Maritime de Bordeaux, “by laying the concrete foundations of a technical feasibility for the development of a hydrogen ecosystem in the heart of the Metropolis, with the Port of Bordeaux as the preferred reception platform.”