Range-Improved Vessel with high EneRgy density swappable Batteries Optimized fOr Sustainable Transport

RIVERBOOST will demonstrate the first fully electric inland vessel on the Dutch waterways, achieving 40% more range compared to today’s state-of-the-art through innovations in battery, vessel, and powertrain design. It pioneers a swappable hybrid energy storage system integrating semi-solid state and LFP chemistries using advanced Battery Management and Energy Management Systems to increase energy density, extend system lifetime, enhance operational flexibility, and support stationary services and green charging. Efficiency gains are further delivered through river-water cooling, modular DC architecture, and hydrodynamically optimized hull. These technical breakthroughs are supported by novel business models such as Battery-as-a-Service to accelerate market uptake, alongside new safety guidelines for approval of next-generation battery systems. Impact will be demonstrated with a new 110m fully electric inland container vessel built for the shipping company NEDCARGO, a frontrunner in the electrical inland vessels. Replication studies by CMA-CGM will explore pathways to commercial roll-out, while inland waterway transport authorities and knowledge centres partners, and the advisory board will ensure alignment with infrastructure, regulation, and scalability across Europe’s waterways. By significantly extending vessel range, RIVERBOOST enables the transition to zero-emission IWT, supports a modal shift from road to water, and contributes to greenhouse gas reduction, improved air quality, and lower noise levels, especially in urban and sensitive riverine environments. The project will foster knowledge transfer among European IWT operators and shipyards, sustainably supporting workforce upskilling, innovation, and replication of zero-emission solutions through setting up the Inland E-Vessel Community. These innovations will be validated in real-world operations, paving the way for large-scale deployment of fully electric inland vessels with extended range across Europe.