September 13th, 2023

The Zulu06 is a self-propelled urban distribution vessel equipped with hydrogen propulsion, set to navigate the Seine starting in 2024.

This vessel is one of the 110 inland waterway transport units of the Sogestran Group.

The Sogestran Group has been working on hydrogen technology for five years and on this specific vessel for three years, making it the first hydrogen-powered vessel to navigate French rivers. The group is exploring this decarbonization pathway along with other solutions such as HVO, electric propulsion, and wind propulsion for maritime transport.

This project is initiated and partially funded by Europe under the Flagships project, which aims to deploy two fuel cell vessels on European rivers. As a result, two projects will come to fruition: a self-propelled vessel in France (the Zulu06 of the Sogestran Group) and a container vessel in the Netherlands.

The hydrogen technology is highly innovative but only partially regulated. In inland waterway transport, the regulations are prescriptive, meaning anything not explicitly authorized is prohibited. Since hydrogen propulsion is an innovation, it required an exemption. This was achieved in July 2023 when Sogestran obtained the exemption from the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine (CCNR), which has the authority to issue exemptions on European rivers.

According to Mathieu Longueville, New Constructions Project Manager: "Using hydrogen for propulsion in inland waterway transport, the Zulu06 will be a first on the Seine and one of the first in Europe. Everything had to be built, thought out, and assembled: it’s an exciting project. It’s a great pride for all the teams working on the project."

Now, the project is being finalized: continuing modifications to the unit (including the installation of an electric crane, hydrogen equipment, and batteries), obtaining the navigation certificate with the DRIEAT, and entering the testing phase.

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