Port of Antwerp-Bruges has started construction of a shore power installation at the Zweedse Kaai cruise terminal in Zeebrugge, according to the company's release.
From the first half of 2027, cruise ships docking at the terminal will be able to connect to electricity from the grid and shut down their diesel engines. The facility will supply power to two ships simultaneously and will be operational three years before shore power becomes mandatory in the European Union in 2030.
The project includes building an Onshore Power Supply and a new high-voltage substation, as well as a wider redevelopment of the terminal area with new boarding bridges, a battery system and green space.
At present, the Zweedse Kaai accounts for about 5% of CO₂ emissions from all ships moored in Antwerp and Zeebrugge, as cruise ships generate electricity with diesel generators. Shore power is expected to eliminate local emissions and reduce odour nuisance and visual disturbance for residents, passengers and crews.
Funding for the project includes €3.1 million from the European Commission under the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility programme and €830,000 from the Flemish government. The port authority estimates a payback period of about 20 years.
Rob Smeets, COO of Port of Antwerp-Bruges, said: “Shore power will enable us to reduce emissions at the cruise terminal to zero while providing more comfortable conditions for passengers, crews and local residents. From 2027, ‘plug-in on arrival’ will become a reality in Zeebrugge, even before it becomes compulsory in Europe in 2030.”