Contributing to greener mobility

Contributing to greener mobility

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Contributing to greener mobility
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Contributing to greener mobility: offering the public, cities, companies and public authorities ‘softer’ and more sustainable mobility and transport solutions.

In 2021, the John Cockerill’s teams have worked, among others, on these emblematic projects:

Reduce the carbon impact of the mobility of people and the transport of goods

Railways, waterways and roads: in 2021, John Cockerill teams continued to develop technological solutions to reduce the carbon impact of the mobility of people and the transport of goods. Renewable energy, green hydrogen or even the digitalization and modernization of infrastructure and equipment were at the center of their projects.

John Cockerill et Liege Airport ont obtenu en avril 2021 le feu vert du Gouvernement wallon pour déployer une infrastructure de production et de distribution d’hydrogène vert sur le site de l’aéroport de Liège.

White smoke for HaYrport®

In April 2021, John Cockerill and Liege Airport obtained the green light from the Walloon Government to deploy a green hydrogen production and distribution infrastructure at the Liège airport site. This 100% clean eco-mobility project will benefit from a regional grant of 6 million Euros. The production capacity will be 200 kg of hydrogen a day, produced using energy from the airport’s photovoltaic panels. This is enough to cover 20 000 kilometers a year for the airport’s fleet of logistics vehicles and shuttles traveling to and from the airport.

Prior to the commissioning in 2023, a pilot hydrogen refueling and production station will be installed and tested on the John Cockerill site in Seraing, about fifteen kilometers from the airport. The objective is to even further improve mastery of this technology.

John Cockerill et Liege Airport ont obtenu en avril 2021 le feu vert du Gouvernement wallon pour déployer une infrastructure de production et de distribution d’hydrogène vert sur le site de l’aéroport de Liège.
MiRIS alimente le Quartier général du Groupe
Starting from a 2 MW photovoltaic installation on the roofs of the workshops of John Cockerill’s headquarters, MiRIS pools the storage capacities of four different technologies, to reach a total of 2.5 MW of power and 5.5 MWh of energy capacity. The whole system is installed on an electrical network controlled by intelligent software developed by our experts, allowing different configurations to be replicated. At the same time, MiRIS supplies the Group’s headquarters with renewable electricity, and participates in the greening of John Cockerill’s car fleet.

Waterway infrastructures that are more available and intelligent

In 2021, inland waterways and river sites came one after the other for John Cockerill. Results followed: maximum availability of the waterways infrastructure. In France, over 25 million tones of freight were thus able to be transported in a year by inland waterways. This was enough to avoid three million truck journeys on the roads.

“Waterways traffic, which has increased sharply in recent years, is in enormous demand,” explains Sébastien, Head of Public Markets France. “4 500 of the 8 500 kilometers of French canals are navigable, including 2 500 intended for heavy transport. When you realize that a barge of 4 500 tons corresponds to 250 trucks, you will immediately understand the importance of waterway transport: it’s four times less polluting than road traffic. Best of all, it doesn’t emit fine particles! “

The main challenge is time

Stoppages of waterway traffic are rare and are defined well in advance. All interventions are therefore concentrated over very short periods of time: all the work has to be carried out over two or three weeks, or even just one, in order to avoid disrupting navigation as much as possible.

In 2021, the John Cockerill teams intervened throughout France, in Toulouse, Strasbourg, Marseilles, Saint-Dizier and Normandy, as well as inBelgium, to carry out the renovation and modernization of locks and dams. Their work involves skills in mechanics, boiler-making, automation and electricity, as well as in water treatment.

Towards smart locks

Innovation and technology are at the heart of these interventions. “When we replace the motorization of a lock”, continues Sébastien, “we design new systems that integrate the latest technologies in terms of security and data recording, such as torque measurements and force sensors that provide the operator with new information about its equipment.” This will create river infrastructures that are ever smarter, and therefore ever more available. And thereby considerably reduce road traffic and its CO2 emissions..

3 millions
This is the number of truck journeys avoided on the roads thanks to the interventions of John Cockerill on French waterways.

Sébastien Simon, Responsable Marchés Publics en France

« Our waterway interventions maximize infrastructure availability. This will make waterway transport more attractive, and considerably reduce road traffic and its many nuisances. »

Sébastien Simon, Public Markets Manager in France

Panama : le métro pour rendre l’air plus respirable

Panama: the metro to make the air more breathable

Following the first line of the Panama Metro, John Cockerill finalized the study, maintenance and supply of the second line in record time in 2021. “Our teams”, says Thomas, Managing Director of CIM, the French subsidiary of John Cockerill, “designed, manufactured and installed the workshop equipment needed for train maintenance, as well as the work for laying the track and the catenary.”

In 43 months, John Cockerill thereby commissioned this second line, which is 21 kilometers long and consists of 16 stations. This project is a response to a strategic urban mobility challenge: to offer 40 000 passengers an hour a green, fast and secure mobility alternative.

Premier métro des Caraïbes et exemple mondial en termes de sécurité et de confort
The first metro in the Caribbean, and a world example in terms of safety and comfort, the Santo Domingo metro transports more than 100 million passengers a year. In 2021, and for the fourteenth year in a row, John Cockerill teams managed the installation and maintenance of the train track. Enough to relieve the traffic in the capital of the Dominican Republic.
Afrique : favoriser la mobilité ferroviaire internationale

Africa: fostering international rail mobility

With the strength of their expertise in rail technology behind them, the Transurb teams at John Cockerill facilitate the connection of the rail lines of several African countries. This was the case in Cameroon and in Chad, which have decided to finalize the railway corridor between Douala and N’Djamena. As a catalyst for opportunities, in 2021 John Cockerill provided the two states with technical assistance in the analysis of the feasibility study of the operation.The integration of the infrastructure networks of these two countries will make it possible to offer populations common inter-modality solutions.

Elsewhere, in Algeria, John Cockerill supervised the works and commissioning of the Rocade Nord project. Equipped with the ERTMS rail traffic management system, this high-speed Trans-Maghreb network connects Morocco to Tunisia via Algiers. In 2021, the John Cockerill Transurb teams supervised the works on, and commissioning of three sections, over a total length of 390 km. Studies, planning, design, works control and monitoring: a supervision mission that ultimately leads to certification.

Vers des bus et des camions bennes zéro émission

Towards zero-emission buses and dump trucks

John Cockerill, Metz Métropole and the UEM group formalized a partnership in October 2021 aimed at developing a hydrogen sector in Metz (France) dedicated to the eco-mobility of buses and dump trucks.The project aims to create a green hydrogen ecosystem, starting with thirteen buses by 2025, and then a gradual conversion of all buses and refuse collection vehicles by 2030.The first will hit the road in 2025 – without the slightest emission of CO2!

There is a similar objective, but a different technology in Liège (Belgium). Here, John Cockerill has been supporting the waste collection operator Renewi in the electrification of its fleet of vehicles since 2020.In September 2021, John Cockerill carried out a charging test for an electric truck via MiRIS, its green energy storage and management station.“This test was an important milestone towards Renewi’s zero-emission collection goal, as the energy that MiRIS generates and stores is 100% solar, ensuring that their trucks have completely carbon-free propulsion”, explains Antonio, Business Development & Sales Manager.

La simulation, une formation frugale en énergie

Simulation, energy-efficient training

Thirty simulators to train its operators: in 2021, SNCF Réseau opted for the portability and flexibility of the Transurb® solutions from John Cockerill.These 30 nano-simulators, supplemented by six instructor stations, a preparation station and an observation station, meet the needs of the French rail network operator whose training centers are located in different regions of France.

Thanks to this equipment, SNCF Réseau can train its operators at a lower energy cost, in conditions that are close to reality, with all the expertise of the market leader ETCS (European Train Control System) within a simple suitcase.

In Belgium, the Brussels operator STIB made its choice in 2021, guided by the same energy-efficiency argument, acquiring a compact simulator dedicated to training in the use of its new generation trams.

La réalité augmentée au service de la sécurité

Augmented reality at the service of security

Safety is the top priority, at both John Cockerill and Infrabel.In 2021, the Belgian railway infrastructure operator acquired a new state-of-the-art training tool: a 3D Transurb® track simulator equipped with augmented reality.

This innovative technology makes it possible to train track maintenance personnel in safety procedures, immersing them in their daily work environment without the risks of being in the field.This immersive simulation solution proposed by John Cockerill contributes to making the Belgian railway network one of the safest in Europe.

Next project

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Fighting against insecurity

Combattre l’insécurité