The Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) has completed the first practical test of its newest shore-side power station at HHLA Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA), according to the company's release.
The container ship MSC Athens, owned by Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), was supplied with shore-side electricity during its lay time.
Additional tests are scheduled to enable regular shore-side power operations for container ships in the Port of Hamburg.
The test, conducted last week, marked the first ship integration test at CTA’s shore-side power station, supplying the MSC Athens with electricity from renewable sources.
MSC owns approximately 40 vessels capable of using shore-side power. The test was a joint effort by HPA, HHLA, and MSC, with Powercon and Igus providing converter and connector technology.
Friedrich Stuhrmann, Chief Commercial Officer of HPA, stated: “Every successful ship integration test brings us one step closer to integrating the power stations into regular operations. I am delighted that MSC is on board with us to jointly contribute towards making shipping and operations in the Port of Hamburg more environmentally friendly by using shore power.”
Jan Hendrik Pietsch, Head of Sustainability at HHLA, said: “With the first successful test of the shore-side power station at CTA, we have come closer to the goal of installing modern power stations for the supply of shore-side electricity at all three HHLA container terminals in Hamburg. That is an important step towards climate-friendly port logistics. We are glad that our customers can thus charge their vessels during lay time with low-emission energy. This way, a further part of the supply chain can be decarbonised.”
Nils Kahn, Managing Director of MSC Germany, commented: “The integration of shore power into our fleet is an important step towards sustainable shipping. We are pleased to be working with the Hamburg Port Authority and HHLA on this climate-friendly energy supply and to contribute to improving air quality in the Hanseatic city, because Hamburg and its port are important to us.”
HPA, as the Port of Hamburg’s infrastructure operator, collaborates with HHLA and MSC to implement climate-friendly energy systems. The CTA power station is the third shore-side power facility for container ships in Hamburg transitioning to regular operations. The shore-side power station at HHLA Container Terminal Burchardkai is expected to be operational by year-end, enabling shore-side electricity at all mega-ship berths.
Established in 2005, the Hamburg Port Authority is responsible for managing and developing the Port of Hamburg’s infrastructure. It oversees port operations, including navigation, safety, and environmental initiatives, while maintaining waterways, terminals, and traffic systems. HPA collaborates with private companies to enhance efficiency and sustainability, focusing on projects like shore-side power to reduce emissions and modernize port operations.
Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) is a leading European port and transport logistics company based in Hamburg, Germany. It operates three container terminals in Hamburg—Altenwerder, Burchardkai, and Tollerort—along with terminals in Tallinn, Trieste, and Odessa. HHLA specializes in container handling, rail transport through its subsidiary Metrans, and intermodal logistics, emphasizing automation and sustainability to optimize global supply chains.
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), founded in 1970 by Gianluigi Aponte, is a global container shipping and logistics company headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. Operating over 675 offices in 155 countries, MSC manages a fleet of more than 600 vessels, serving 520 ports on 300 routes.