FLAGSHIPS

Ziele/Ideen

The FLAGSHIPS demonstration vessels, H2 Barge 2 and Zulu 06, are both among the first fully hydrogen-powered and zero-emission vessels in Europe. The H2 Barge 2 ships cargo between Europe’s largest container port in Rotterdam and inland distribution centers, and demonstrates the successful conversion of a diesel-powered vessel to operate fully on clean hydrogen. The Zulu 06 is a newbuild specifically designed to move goods on pallets and in containers along the banks of the river Seine. Operating between Gennevilliers and Bonneuil Sur Marne in Paris, it sets a new standard for clean urban logistics.

Kurzbeschreibung

The FLAGSHIPS is an EU funded innovation project which has deployed two commercially operated hydrogen-fueled vessels. The first vessel is a container vessel, H2 Barge 2, which has been operating between Rotterdam (NL) and Duisburg (DE) on hydrogen and fuel cells since April 2024. The second vessel is a self-propeled barge, Zulu 06, which was launched in the river Seine in the centre of Paris (FR) since December 2024. In both demonstration cases, compressed gaseous hydrogen, produced locally with electrolyzers powered mainly by renewable electricity, is used. Both vessels have gone through the process of design and deployment of hydrogen fuel cell solutions and are already operational. With these two demonstration cases, benefits of hydrogen-based power train in waterborne applications will be showcased.

Resultate

The FLAGSHIPS project deploys two hydrogen fuel cell vessels in European inland waterways, demonstrating that hydrogen and fuel cells are technically ready technology for zero emission waterborne transport. The largest of the demo vessels, H2 Barge 2, is expected to reduce 3.000 tonnes of CO2 annually when sailing the Rhine. With 80% of all cargo flows on the Rhine sailing between Rotterdam and Duisburg, H2 Barge 2 proves that much of the fleet can be fully zero emission already today.

During the project, partners have gained a lot of experience and learnings on how to successfully deploy these technologies, which will facilitate further uptake of zero-emission technology in the shipping sector in the years ahead. One concrete example is that Ballard’s type-approved FCwave module was partly developed through the FLAGSHIPS project. As a result of FLAGSHIPS, the technical, commercial, and regulatory readiness level of hydrogen fuel cell vessels have all been raised.

Partner

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: project management
Compagnie Fluviale de Transport: shipowner Zulu 06
Future Proof Shipping: shipowner H2 Barge 2
ABB Marine & Ports: maritime OEM and integrator
SEAM: maritime OEM and integrator
Ballard Power Systems: fuel cell manufacturer
LMG Marin: ship designer