The project to design a “river metro” for Seville, developed within the PERTE NAVAL initiative and led by Siport21, has finished

As part of the PERTE NAVAL and led by Siport21, the GUADALTRANSIT project has been completed. This conceptual simulator aims to improve the design, construction, and configuration of River Metro Systems, with its first practical case being the Guadalquivir River between the areas of Puebla del Río, Coria del Río, and the city of Seville. This initiative is part of the TECNAVAL25 tractor project, led by Soermar, within the PERTE NAVAL, which is part of the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan financed by the European Union-Next Generation.

Together with Addocean, Nuevo Astillero de Huelva, and Soermar, as well as the collaboration of the University of Seville and Altum, and Metrorio, the developers of the idea, the best solution has been designed to implement a river metro network from Puebla del Río to the north of the city of Seville. This includes boats and stations equipped with innovative technology, enabling docking and passenger boarding maneuvers in minutes.

Within the pilot case, the project has validated the technical and operational feasibility of a river metro system in Seville, confirming the safety of the maneuvers, the efficiency of docking times, and the possibility of a fast and comfortable service for users.

Moreover, if the “river metro” becomes a reality, the system will be sustainable and environmentally friendly, using alternative energy generation means (hydrogen or electric batteries) both on boats and stations, so that the entire system would have zero fossil energy consumption and be a zero-emission system.

The results also show significant potential to reduce the use of private vehicles in metropolitan areas, consequently decreasing pollutant emissions. The developed simulator not only facilitates the design and operation of the system in Seville but also serves as an exportable tool to other cities with navigable waterways, opening the door to a more sustainable and replicable urban mobility model, usable from the design phase to operation.

In particular, Siport21 has developed advanced models of navigation, river traffic, and anchoring of floating stations, which will allow it to expand its simulation and consulting services in navigable waterways. These innovative capabilities consolidate its leadership in the sector and strengthen the company’s international projection as an Innovative SME.