EU-funded Riverboost project to demonstrate 40% longer range for fully electric inland waterway vessel

09-07-2026

Andenne, Belgium. A consortium of eleven partners from five European countries has officially launched Riverboost. This Horizon Europe project will demonstrate a 110-metre fully electric inland vessel with a sailing range 40% greater than that of comparable electric vessels in operation today. Coordinated by CEA LITEN in France, the project will run until October 2029, with Nedcargo providing the demonstration vessel.

Inland navigation plays a vital role in Europe’s freight transport system, but the sector must cut emissions while maintaining the reliability on which shippers depend. For fully electric vessels, limited range and charging time remain key barriers to wider deployment. Riverboost addresses these challenges through an integrated approach that combines advanced energy storage, efficient powertrain design, river-water cooling, modular DC architecture and hydrodynamic hull optimisation.
The impact of Riverboost will be demonstrated through a new 110-metre fully electric inland container vessel built for Nedcargo, a frontrunner in electric inland shipping. Replication studies by CMA CGM will explore pathways towards commercial roll-out, while inland waterway transport authorities, knowledge centres, consortium partners and the project advisory board will help ensure alignment with infrastructure, regulation and deployment needs.

The vessel will feature a swappable hybrid energy storage system that combines solid-liquid and LFP battery chemistries, supported by advanced battery management and energy management systems. This approach is intended to increase energy density, extend system lifetime and improve operational flexibility.

Further efficiency gains will be delivered through a modular DC architecture designed to improve system efficiency by 15%, together with hydrodynamic hull optimisation aimed at reducing energy consumption by up to 20%. Riverboost will also develop safety guidelines for approving next-generation battery systems, supporting regulatory alignment and future scalability across Europe’s waterways. Alongside these technical innovations, Riverboost will explore new commercial models, including Battery-as-a-Service.

Riverboost brings together CEA, DST, VAAR, BATIA MOSA, ABS, SPB/EICB, AVL, AUTH, VNF, CMA CGM and Nedcargo. The kick-off meeting was held in the headquarters of BATIA MOSA, where the attendees had fruitful discussions about the work to be done and were shown around the impressive wharf. At the end of the day, the partners were eager to start their work in this exciting project.

The project runs from 1 May 2026 to 31 October 2029, with a total budget of €9.08 million and a European contribution of €7.49 million.

Coordinator: https://www.cea.fr/
Communication & Dissemination leader: www.eicb.nl

 This project receives funding from the European Union through the Horizon Europe programme under Grant Agreement No. 101268573.