SEGULA Technologies and GRDF have achieved a remarkable feat by introducing the world's first hybrid electric/bio-compressed natural gas (CNG) freight boat, marking a watershed moment in inland navigation. This breakthrough is at the heart of the Green Deliriver project, launched in 2018 with a vision to decarbonize river shipping and embrace circular economy principles along the Seine Axis. 

A significant milestone for the Green Deliriver project is securing the first European authorization for bio-CNG as the primary fuel source in inland waterway transport, addressing decarbonization and air quality challenges.  Local production of renewable biomethane will power the river sector and be available at dedicated refueling stations in Ile-de-France and across the country. 

The project aims to link major logistics hubs along the Seine Axis to central Paris. The next phase involves constructing a new hybrid electric/bio-CNG pusher boat and an operational barge by 2025, reducing noise pollution, cutting CO2 emissions by 85%, and eliminating fine particle emissions by 98%. 

Bio-CNG, produced from Seine waste, contributes to a circular economy, and the project's logistic capacity eliminates the need for 40 lorries on the roads. 

Financial support from ADEME, VNF, the Ile-de-France Region, CITEPH, and the Banque des Territoires underscores the commitment to sustainable transportation solutions and reducing the environmental impact of inland waterway transport.

See the full article here.