HyDrOMer – Helion (Alstom) equips the first hydrogen dredger (in the world) for the ports of Occitania.
The Occitanie Region announced that it had signed a contract with Helion Hydrogen Power (Alstom) and the Breton shipbuilder Piriou to manufacture a hydrogen hybrid dredge for its three ports (Sète, Port-la-Nouvelle and Grau-du-Roi).
A first for such a maritime use, which is part of the greening approach of Occitan ports.
The contract was signed on 1 April between the Occitanie Region, the shipbuilder Piriou (based in Concarneau in Brittany) and Helion Hydrogen Power, a subsidiary of the Alstom group for a year, specialising in the design, development and manufacture of fuel cells.
Objective: to integrate a fuel cell system into the future hydrogen hybrid dredge ordered by the Region as part of the renewal of its fleet of vessels.
The vocation of the dredge based in the port of Sète is to ensure the maintenance of the depths of the three regional ports (commercial ports of Sète-Frontignan and Port-La Nouvelle, and fishing port of Grau-du-Roi) as well as the management of the coastline of Occitanie.
Jean-Luc Gibelin, Vice-President of the Occitanie Region in charge of mobility and transport infrastructure, said:
Dredging makes it possible to maintain the depths in a port in order to guarantee the draught of the boats.
“It sucks up the sediment and will deposit it at sea in a predefined place. It is also used as a sand carrier to reload beaches.” Thanks for staying up to date with Hydrogen Central.
A power of 200 kW
What makes the future HyDrOMer dredge innovative and “unique in the world”, according to the signatories of the contract, is this hybrid hydrogen/diesel engine technology (in this case, low sulfur diesel).
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Helion (Alstom) equips the world’s first hydrogen dredge for the ports of Occitania, April 1, 2022
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