Since the mid-1960s, the push tug Marousin has been chugging through the French rivers - mostly the Seine. It transports cement and other construction aggregates from the manufacturer Lafarge to its customers around Paris in the barges attached to it. Now the old barge is getting a life extension and a real makeover.
Battery system adapted to maritime applications
The old diesel drive is being thrown out. Instead, an electric motor is installed, which is supplemented by a new diesel engine. This reduces CO2 emissions by 40 per cent during a twelve-hour operation. Nitrogen oxide emissions actually drop by 70 per cent.
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To ensure that sufficient electricity is available for driving, the Swiss battery manufacturer Leclanché has made a corresponding storage system. This is based on the Navius MRS-3 platform, which was specially developed for maritime purposes, where MRS stands for Marine Rack System. Leclanché has already equipped several hybrid and fully electric ferries and special ships with this system.
Sufficient power for the journey
The storage system for the pusher tug will be able to store 766 kilowatt hours of electricity. The electricity quantity of 65 ampere hours is sufficient to supply the ship with the necessary propulsion current. Leclanché uses only battery cells and modules from European production for its liquid-cooled storage unit.
More ships to follow
The conversion of the Marousin is to be completed in the first half of 2024, in time for the start of the Olympic Games in Paris next year. These start on 26 July and the Marousin is to be part of the opening ceremony.
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"The conversion of our push barge Marsouin is the first stage of an ambitious programme to modernise our entire fleet by 2030, which will enable us to transport our materials more ecologically and reduce our environmental impact in the long term," explains Kevin Audegond, who is responsible for river transport of products at Lafarge France. (su/mfo)
