French history charts course for the future of zero-emission transport

Paris, the storied capital of France, was founded on trade borne by the river that runs through its heart: the Seine. More than 2000 years ago, it formed a vital trade link from Dijon to the English Channel, allowing what was then a fishing village on the Ile de la Cité to flourish into the global metropolitan icon that Paris has become.

Those trading origins are the basis of a pioneering project which seeks to demonstrate the viability of renewable fuels for the maritime sector, by adapting a Seine river barge to use hydrogen as a fuel source.

The Zulu 06 was originally designed for diesel-electric power, but it has been upgraded to full electric power, using lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. The conversion was undertaken by freight transport specialists Sogestran, who own and operate the vessel.

Conversion was carried out as part of the EU-supported FLAGSHIPS project, which was devised to increase the market potential of fuel cells in the marine sector.

The power generation system of Zulu 06 was integrated by ABB Marine and Ports, with two 200kW fuel cells delivered by Ballard and a battery-powered DC system. This interconnects with the original AC power system via DC/AC power conversion. The converters are HES880 compact drives supplied by ABB, while the power conversion devices are controlled by an ABB Power and Energy Management System (PEMS™). It’s designed to allow seamless control of new power sources (fuel cells and batteries) alongside traditional ones (combustion-based generators).

Zulu 06 underwent river trials during 2023-24, before being launched on the Seine last December. Fifty-five metres long and with a cargo capacity of 400 tons, it is purpose-built to thrive in the complex logistical and navigational environment of urban waterways.

Three hundred kgs of compressed hydrogen on board enables seven days of operational autonomy, allowing Zulu 06 to operate efficiently and with environmental sympathy in an urban setting. 

When operating with hydrogen fuel cells as a power source, Zulu 06 emits only water. This first-of-its-kind hydrogen propulsion system in the French market represents a significant step forward in cargo transport on European waterways and demonstrates the potential for clean energy to revolutionize logistics.

Meeting the need for cleaner fuel solutions across the marine sector

The introduction of Zulu 06 comes as the shipping industry faces increasing pressure to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact. A target of net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping by 2050, set by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), has focused the maritime sector on achieving more sustainable operations.

The use of non-fossil fuel power sources, such as hydrogen fuel cells, is one avenue being explored to meet IMO targets. Hydrogen-fuelled vessels offer particular benefits on inland waterways, as river and canal vessels typically operate on short, fixed, routes and have regular access to ports. This makes the development of local hydrogen supply chains feasible.

Building on the success of hydrogen-fuelled buses in France

The use of hydrogen as a fuel source is successfully under way elsewhere in France – but on land, rather than water. 

In Auxerre, approximately 170km southeast of Paris, hydrogen-fuelled buses are in use on local routes, with support from our cutting-edge energy management solution, ABB Ability™ OPTIMAX® for Green Hydrogen energy management system. The software is helping our partner Hynamics optimize the electrical costs of the production of hydrogen, which fuels the buses.

At Hynamics’ production and distribution site in Auxerre, a 1 MW hydrogen station has been built to supply the urban community. This station supplies fuel to five buses on Transdev’s Leo network, as well as light commercial vehicles and trucks. These hydrogen-fuelled vehicles save 2,200 tons of CO₂ emissions each year.

More than 70 percent of the cost of producing green hydrogen comes from the electricity used to split the water molecules during the electrolysis process. OPTIMAX provides data which can help determine optimal energy consumption levels required to produce the hydrogen and minimize wasted energy. 

And while the adoption of hydrogen power sources in the French transport sector remains in its infancy, their zero-emission potential is already showing one path to a lower-carbon future.

Read more