Marseille Ferry-boat, which has been inaugurated on February 1st 2010, is fitted with a no-emission electric propulsion that can work in both directions, in order to make operation easier in Marseille old harbour.

To move this ship, designed in a Phocaean style by Jean-Frasca designers and built at Gatto shipyard, AltEn has developped an original propulsion system that uses capacities of podded propulsors, already perfected by AltEn for its own ships.

To move equally forward and backward, pods have been fitted in the longitunal plane of the ship. Whatever direction the ship moves, pods are rotated to their best efficiency. When the "Mistral" is strongly blowing from one side, pods can be orientated to remove ship drifting. Pre-programmed functions allow the crew to easily rotate the ship, to cancel drifting or to switch direction.

Due to the high efficiency of this propulsion system, the Ferry-boat consumption is below 2 kW at a 4 knots operating speed. Energy comes from photovoltaic panels fitted on the roof and from nickel based batteries recharged at night. On sunny days, only solar energy is necessary.

The Ferry-boat can carry 45 passengers across Marseille old harbour, 360 times a day, running 18 hours in a row.

Alt.En, Eric Jean Design Office and Gatto ship yard have won the invitation to tender of Marseille electric Ferry-boat, which crosses Marseille old harbour carrying up to 40 passengers.

To avoid any complicated maneuver, the Ferry-Boat will be, as was the former unit, an amphidromic boat. For this project, Alt.En has studied a reversible propulsion system, using a front and an aft pod that can be reversed during each call.

To take advantage of its low cruising speed and of the sun of Marseille, the Ferry-boat, will mainly use solar produced electric energy.

Alt.En keeps studying the design of a 22 meter long river ferry, with a capacity of 130 PAX, designed for touristic tour on Seine river inside Paris.

Superstructures have been designed by Flahaut design office to respect the style of the existing fleet of the "Vedettes de Paris" shipping company. For this project, Alt.En has focused on power, autonomy and maneuverability to insure a safe sailing among the traffic and in the stream of the Seine river.

"Une essai dans le chenal" - Sud Ouest Juin '07

"Deux Navettes Fluviales Electriques Inaugurées à Paris" - EDF

"Un passeur taille XXL" - Sud Ouest Juin 07

"Deux Navires Electriques pour le canal Saint-Denis à Paris" - Le Marin

"Navettes, boulot, dodo" - Fluvial Déc. 06

"La Navigation sans pollution" - Sud Ouest Déc. 06