Prague Launches New Hybrid Service Vessel on the Vltava

A newly built service vessel, RVC PRAHA, entered service on the Vltava in Prague, replacing the aging 1998‑era boat. The 35‑metre tanker, the first plug‑in hybrid vessel under the Czech flag, was constructed in Dutch shipyards in Aalst and Wemeldinge to Lloyd’s Register and EU‑TRIN standards. It cost about 110 million CZK, funded by the State Fund for Transport Infrastructure, and offers a capacity of 258 tonnes, supplying gasoline, diesel and AdBlue to small recreational craft and handling waste water for eco‑friendly disposal.

Transport Minister Ivan Bednárik and director of the Waterways Directorate Lubomír Fojtů officiated the launch, highlighting the vessel’s low‑emission hybrid propulsion and its role in modernising water transport in the capital. The ship is the first of a three‑vessel order exceeding 200 million CZK, with additional boats planned for the Orlík and Slapy reservoirs in the coming years. Future upgrades may include renewable fuels such as HVO, extending services beyond the current base at Edvarda Beneše quay.