Decarbonising the French Inland Fleet: a Matter of Method, not Technology

Understanding the Real Challenge: It’s Not What to Do, but How to Do It

Today, electrifying an inland vessel is no longer a technological issue.
Reliable motors, batteries, and charging systems already exist.
The real challenge lies in project structuring – technical framing, regulatory validation, and economic feasibility.

A successful inland navigation project – whether passenger or freight – shouldn’t be judged by installed power or theoretical range,
but by its ability to operate reliably, safely, and profitably.

1. Passenger Vessels: Comfort and Compliance as Compass

Passenger vessels – hotel barges, sightseeing boats, urban shuttles – face a dual requirement: onboard comfort and regulatory compliance.

Typical difficulties include:

– Limited understanding of ES-TRIN requirements (stability, safety, evacuation);
– Poor planning of battery weight and placement;
– Lack of a detailed operational energy model (speed, duty cycles, charging strategy).

Our approach:
At Lanéva / NoFuel, we provide an integrated retrofit methodology:
→ Energy analysis based on real-world usage profiles;
→ Compliance and stability validation before refit;
→ Technical coordination with the shipyard to minimise downtime.

The result: a technically sound, financially viable and regulatory – compliant project.

2. Freight Vessels: Proof of Use Before Technology

For barges, pushers and cargo vessels, the priority is different:
prove operational viability before investing in technology.

Common bottlenecks:

-No letters of intent or transport agreements with shippers;

– Underestimation of logistical constraints (locks, currents, port operations);

– Lack of a full economic model (CAPEX, OPEX, energy cost comparison).

Our support:
→ Feasibility study combining energy, logistics and operational flow analysis;
→ Propulsion and battery sizing for route continuity;
→ Assistance with business modelling and stakeholder engagement (operators, ports, cargo owners).

A credible freight project isn’t a concept – it’s a working industrial system ready to sail.

3. What Funding and Institutional Stakeholders Really Expect

Public and private partners primarily assess:

– Technical maturity – robust studies and realistic specifications;

– Financial coherence – clear investment and operational planning;

– Execution capability – identified partners, achievable timeline.

Projects rarely fail because of ideas – they fail because of poor preparation and lack of inland expertise.

4. A Proven Method: From Concept to Operable Prototype

Our support is based on four key steps:

– Vessel or logistics diagnosis;

– Energy modelling and equipment selection;

– Regulatory validation and yard integration;

– Commissioning, testing and crew training.

Each stage is fully documented to reinforce technical credibility and facilitate collaboration with shipyards, operators and funders.

In Conclusion

The future of inland navigation won’t be defined by battery size,
but by the quality of the method.
Passenger or freight, each project needs an integrated vision connecting engineering, regulation, and operation.

At Lanéva, decarbonisation isn’t just about technology – it’s about turning clean energy into tangible performance.