Northern European ports in collaboration receive EU funding for onshore power for container ships
Four Northern European ports are set to significantly reduce emissions from container ships moored at quay. With a joint support of €18,8 million from the EU fund Connecting Europe Facility for the project EU.OPS.Network, the ports of Aarhus, Gothenburg, Bremerhaven, and Stockholm will provide onshore power to container ships calling at the ports by 2030, according to the Ports of Stockholm's release.
The project has a large reduction potential not only of CO2, but also of other substances such as nitrogen oxides emitted from container ships moored at the ports.
The project is a direct response to new EU regulations that will come into effect in 2030, requiring ships over 5,000 gross tonnage to connect to onshore power supply, OPS, while moored. Through OPS, container ships will be able to use electricity from the grid instead of generating their own power onboard using diesel engines. This results in a reduced climate footprint, cleaner local environments, and improved working conditions in the ports.
Ports of Stockholm's part in the project involves connecting container ships to green electricity at Stockholm Norvik Port from 2027. The port, which was inaugurated in 2020, was already prepared for this purpose at the time of construction which means that the infrastructure to some extent already is in place. The electricity connection established in the project will be available to all shipping companies on equal terms and will consist of a mobile container dispenser covering two berths.
The investment in onshore power is part of Ports of Stockholm's long-term environmental and sustainability work and contributes directly to EU's climate goal Fit for 55. The goal is to reduce the Union's carbon dioxide emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030.
