Voies Navigables de France (VNF), the country’s navigation authority, collaborated with France’s Minister Delegate for Transport Clément Beaune to launch a competition promoting sustainable shipping innovation in preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympic Games. The goal was to create the world’s largest 3D-printed, self-driving, electric ferry. The competition resulted in three winners: Sequana Développement, Roboat, and Holland Shipyards Group, who designed an eco-friendly ferry with a 3D printed hull made of recycled materials, an electric propulsion system, and Level 4 automation. The ferry, which measures 29.5 feet long and 12.7 feet wide, can carry up to 35 passengers and will make its debut in the summer of 2024. Its exact route will be revealed closer to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
According to 3dprinting.com news, during the Olympics, the ferry will be used to transport visitors and athletes in an environmentally friendly manner. A 49-foot electric riverboat designed by Hyke Rivercat, Juvisy, and Ris Orangis Construction won the competition, as did a 39-foot electric riverboat designed by Bluenav, Orion Naval Engineering, Drone Protect System, Keolis, E Nautical Harbor Bordeaux, and Metropolis of Bordeaux. According to Thierry Guimbaud, Managing Director of VNF, all three projects, ranging from 10 to 50 seats, share the goal of contributing to the games’ environmental excellence objectives and becoming part of the 2024 legacy.
