Ponant secures funding for ‘ambitious’ zero-emission ship
Ponant has secured funding from the European Commission (EC) for its plans to launch the first transoceanic carbon-neutral cruise ship
The line was selected to receive support from the EC’s INNOVFUND – a scheme which supports the development of a combination of renewable energies to achieve its decarbonisation objectives – for its Swap2Zero project.
The aid, granted by the European Commission and financed by revenue from the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), is one of the world’s largest funding programmes for the deployment of innovative low-carbon energies technologies.
Ponant’s initiative has also received support from the French government and BPI as part of the CORIMER 2023 calls for expressions of interest, which is aligned with the goals set by France 2030 and the Green Ship roadmap of CORIMER, aimed at accelerating transformations and deployment of technological solutions within the maritime industry.
“Getting this grant sends a very encouraging message to teams working on this ambitious decarbonisation project,” said Patrick Augier, general secretary of Ponant.
“The recognition acknowledges Ponant’s pioneering spirit. With the Swap2Zero project we are building a showcase of French technology around the first zero-emission ship in operation.”
The Swap2Zero project, which aims at zero CO2 emissions in operation with one-month autonomy, is pinned on six decarbonisation technologies: a sail power system and hull providing 50 per cent of the propulsion energy using the force of the wind; a surface area totalling over 1,000m2 of next-generation, eco-designed photovoltaic panels produced in France; and a low temperature fuel cell operating on liquid hydrogen for propulsion.
It will also feature a high temperature fuel cell to meet the ship’s hotel load needs, with the heat emitted being recovered and used to produce hot water; on-board carbon capture technology, coupled with the high temperature fuel cell; and a bespoke energy management system to control and distribute power without generators being in service.
Ponant hopes to deploy the ship by 2030.
