Skip to content
Search AI Powered
Human content, AI powered search.

Latest Stories

INBOUND

Hydrogen-powered barge set for Paris debut

Zero-emissions vessel could improve air quality in densely populated areas.

20210519inbound_hydrogen_barge.jpg
DC Velocity Staff
By DC Velocity StaffMay 19, 2021
DC Velocity Staff
See Full Bio

If you happen to be in Paris this September, keep an eye on the river Seine. If you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the future of inland waterway transport: a zero-emissions cargo barge.

This fall, the European innovation project “Flagships” will deploy the world’s first commercial cargo transport vessel operating on hydrogen on the Seine. Designed to move goods on pallets and in containers, the new vessel will be powered by a hydrogen fuel-cell system that will produce 1 megawatt of power, the equivalent of about 1,300 horsepower, and enable zero-emission operations, thereby improving air quality in densely populated cities.

The hydrogen cargo transport vessel will be owned by French inland shipowner Compagnie Fluvial de Transport (CFT), a subsidiary of the Sogestran Group. The company is currently developing a new business for urban distribution with transport vessels in the Paris area. 

“The demand for more sustainable technologies in inland waterway transport is on the rise. As part of the Flagships project, we are happy to be leading the way on reducing emissions from transport and demonstrating the superior features of hydrogen fuel cells in waterborne applications,” said Matthieu Blanc, director of CFT, in a release.

Funded by a 2018 grant of $6 million from the European Union’s (EU) Research and Innovation program, Horizon 2020, under the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU), the Flagships project is part of a broader initiative to reduce emissions from shipping and improve air quality in densely populated cities. 

“As we move through the energy transition, hydrogen technologies are gaining traction in the maritime sector. Flagships is a very exciting project for us, since it is leading the way to demonstrate how vessels operating on green hydrogen can decarbonize urban rivers. By translating technological innovations into commercial operations, we can make zero-emissions inland vessels a reality in every European city,” Bart Biebuyck, executive director at FCH JU, said in the release.

ArticleTransportationMaritime & OceanOther ServicesSC Services
compagnie fluvial de transport, a subsidiary of the sogestran groupmay 2021
ArticleTransportationMaritime & OceanOther ServicesSC Services
compagnie fluvial de transport, a subsidiary of the sogestran groupmay 2021

The Latest

instawork screen cap of warehouse worker profile
Labor Management

3PL LVK will partner with Instawork to find warehouse labor

chart of consumer spending
Omnichannel

Consumers “took a breather” on January spending after holiday rush

chart of container imports to US ports
Ports

Descartes: U.S. container imports reached a record for the month of January

More Stories

image of digital city

Accenture acquires German management consulting firm Staufen AG

The consulting firm Accenture has acquired Staufen AG, a German management consulting firm, saying the move will expand Accenture’s capabilities to drive operational excellence and competitiveness in manufacturing and supply chains.

Specifically, adding Staufen will help Accenture serve clients in discrete manufacturing industries including automotive, aerospace and defense, industrial goods, and medical equipment.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

White House in washington DC
Regulation/Government

Experts: U.S. companies need strategies to pay costs of Trump tariffs

screenshot of oracle AI agents
Artificial Intelligence

Oracle adds AI agents to supply chain and manufacturing software

Supply Chain Short Takes: Mitch Smith of Hytrol Conveyor Co. on how AI and machine learning are influencing conveyor design and manufacturing
DCV-TV 1: News

Supply Chain Short Takes: Mitch Smith of Hytrol Conveyor Co. on how AI and machine learning are influencing conveyor design and manufacturing

photos of us capital dome and a container ship at dock
Regulation/Government

Supply chain groups push back on Trump tariff plan

volvo and waabi self driving truck
Autonomous Trucks

Volvo deepens partnership with Waabi for self-driving truck tech

NMFTA to release proposed freight classification changes this week
Featured

NMFTA to release proposed freight classification changes this week

chart of US imports

NRF: Container imports remain high after Trump tariff threats

Days after tariff threats by the Trump Administration against Canada and Mexico were paused for a month, imports at the nation’s major container ports are expected to remain high, as retailers continue to bring in cargo ahead of the new deadline and to cope with elevated tariffs on China that did occur, according to the Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

Part of the reason for that situation is that companies can’t adjust to tariffs overnight by finding new suppliers. “Supply chains are complex. Retailers continue to engage in diversification efforts. Unfortunately, it takes significant time to move supply chains, even if you can find available capacity,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said in a release.

Keep ReadingShow less

AI: Is it the real deal?

Having reported on the supply chain world for some 25 years, I've seen technologies come and go. Many were once touted as the best thing since sliced bread but either failed to live up to the hype or else had to simmer a few years before they caught on.

Remember the hoopla surrounding dot-com retail? In the late 1990s, we were told that stores as we knew them would eventually go away, to be totally replaced by online shopping. The ease and convenience of e-commerce made that a reasonable expectation. But in March 2000, the bubble burst, and a host of online retailers closed their virtual doors forever. Of course, online shopping is still very much with us, and its share of total retail sales is growing by the year. Maybe we'll get to that retail seventh heaven someday, but it's taking much longer than originally predicted.

Keep ReadingShow less
Logistics economy picked up speed in January

Logistics Managers' Index

Logistics economy picked up speed in January

Economic activity in the logistics industry expanded in January, growing at its fastest clip in more than two years, according to the latest Logistics Managers’ Index (LMI) report, released this week.

The LMI jumped nearly five points from December to a reading of 62, reflecting continued steady growth in the U.S. economy along with faster-than-expected inventory growth across the sector as retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers attempted to manage the uncertainty of tariffs and a changing regulatory environment. The January reading represented the fastest rate of expansion since June 2022, the LMI researchers said.

Keep ReadingShow less
Disrupting the furniture supply chain: An interview with Jay Rogers

Disrupting the furniture supply chain: An interview with Jay Rogers

As commodities go, furniture presents its share of manufacturing and distribution challenges. For one thing, it's bulky. Second, its main components—wood and cloth—are easily damaged in transit. Third, much of it is manufactured overseas, making for some very long supply chains with all the associated risks. And finally, completed pieces can sit on the showroom floor for weeks or months, tying up inventory dollars and valuable retail space.

In other words, the furniture market is ripe for disruption. And John "Jay" Rogers wants to be the catalyst. In 2022, he cofounded a company that takes a whole new approach to furniture manufacturing—one that leverages the power of 3D printing and robotics. Rogers serves as CEO of that company, Haddy, which essentially aims to transform how furniture—and all elements of the "built environment"—are designed, manufactured, distributed, and, ultimately, recycled.

Keep ReadingShow less
Copyright ©2025.