Portsmouth International Port, which is owned and operated by the council, is officially on track to become the UK’s leading shore power port, following confirmation it will accept an offer from Scottish and Southern Energy Network (SSEN) to secure extra power supply, according to the company's release.
In under two years the port will able to support multiple ships that have capacity to plug-in when they’re alongside the berth, reducing harmful emissions from running engines and meeting net carbon neutral ambitions ahead of Portsmouth City Council’s 2030 target.
The extra capacity from SSEN will provide an initial 15MVA (Mega-Volt Amp) supply, which starts the process of providing shore power through to the berths where the ships can plug-in. Installation will be completed by 2025, in time for the port’s major customer Brittany Ferries, who has two new hybrid ships which will operate from Portsmouth the same year, with the remaining fleet being converted to shore power by early 2027.
The port is also expecting a minimum of 100 shore power ready cruise calls by 2026, and by 2030 there is an expectation from industry trade body CLIA all cruise vessels will need to be shore power compliant.
From the UK’s largest installation of Solar PV canopies in a port, a carbon-neutral terminal extension, and being home to energy prototypes, Portsmouth is leading the way in sustainable innovation.
This extra capacity power from SSEN will cost approx. £3m to secure, with further funds required to complete the whole shore power process.