A project to build the world’s largest 3D printed, autonomous, electric ferry is underway in preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympic Games. Voies Navigables de France (VNF), the country’s navigation authority, launched a competition with France’s Minister Delegate for Transport Clément Beaune to promote innovation in sustainable shipping.
Sequana Développement, Roboat, and Holland Shipyards Group emerged as winners with their eco-friendly ferry project. Their design (shown above) features a 3D printed hull made from recycled materials, an electric propulsion system, and Level 4 automation. The ferry will be 29.5 feet long and 12.7 feet wide, with a capacity of up to 35 passengers.
Set to debut in summer 2024, the vessel will transport visitors and athletes in an environmentally friendly way during the Olympic Games. The exact operating location will be disclosed closer to the event.
The other winning projects include a 49-foot electric riverboat designed by Hyke Rivercat, Juvisy, and Ris Orangis Construction, and a 39-foot electric riverboat by Bluenav, Orion Naval Engineering, Drone Protect System, Keolis, E Nautical Harbor Bordeaux, and Metropolis of Bordeaux.
“From 10 to 50 seats, the three demonstrator projects that we have selected all have one thing in common, beyond their driving autonomy and their low-carbon engines, they have the ambition to contribute to the objectives of environmental excellence of games and to be part of the legacy of 2024,”said Thierry Guimbaud, Managing Director of VNF.
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