ABB will deliver a power and propulsive generating system for Compagnie Fluviale de Transport

On May 24, 2019 the ABB company reported that it will deliver a power and propulsive generating system for the tow pusher which will be constructed by 2021 on the French shipyard in Lyon for Compagnie Fluviale de Transport (CFT), subsidiary company of the Sogestran group. The vessel uses the technology which is completely excluding environmental pollution. Engines use the hydrogen received from coastal renewable energy sources. The project is implemented within the innovation FLAGSHIPS project financed by the EU. The industry consortium was created for support of the commercial courts working with zero emissions on GDP and cabotage routes.

Peter Terwiesch commented on the project:

Supporting the strategy of FLAGSHIPS, AVV develops "e-mobility", i.e. use of electrical systems in shipbuilding which proposes solutions for the different fields of the industry including shipbuilding. As one of system providers and the equipment for the transport industry, AVV cares for perspectives of the sea industry, aims at more "net" and effective operation of courts. Peter Terwiesch, head of department Process automation of AVV

Matthieu Blanc noted:

Already more half a century CFT company are engaged in optimization of river navigation. It is extremely important to reduce the volume of emissions during the work on the internal waterways of Europe and especially in the city centers. This project confirms that operation without emissions is real and even commercially profitable. Matthieu Blanc, director of the production questions CFT

Within the project of the consortium FLAGSHIPS operating since the beginning of 2019, ABB actively cooperates with the Center of the technical researches VTT of Finland and the supplier of the environmentally friendly fuel solutions Ballard Power Systems Europe. The companies develop the 400 kW ship propulsive installation.

One of project objectives to show advantages of use of ecofuel in courts of the average size (more than 100 passengers) working at internal waterways or along the coast. FLAGSHIPS supports transition to use of hydrogen as main type of fuel.

It is going to test and to daily trace a possibility of bunkering of the vessel without influence on the diagram of runs. It is also necessary to reveal weaknesses of bunkering infrastructure.

The annual volume of emissions of a carbon dioxide gas from the marine transport is 940 million tons. Regarding environmental friendliness pressure upon the navigable industry enormous, the maximum decrease in a negative factor is required. The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) which is responsible for safety of navigation accepted strategy for reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050, at least for 50% in comparison with 2008, with the perspective purpose of their complete liquidation. The technology of fuel elements is an optimal variant of "pure" power. Molecular energy of hydrogen will be transformed to electricity by means of electrochemical reaction, i.e. fuel turns into electricity, heat and pure water without harmful waste.

The FLAGSHIPS project is supported by the public-private partnership of FCH JU created within the European program "Horizon of 2020" (Horizon 2020) for acceleration of commercial application of eco-friendly fuel technologies in the transport and power industries. Three participants of the consolidation FCH JU are the European Commission (EC), the industry member of fuel elements and the hydrogen industry, Hydrogen Europe association and the consolidation Hydrogen Europe Research responsible for research activity. LMG Marin, NCE Maritime CleanTech and PersEE companies also participate in the CFT project.