The Port of Santander is developing OPS-Santander, a project led by the Autoridad Portuaria de Santander (APS) in partnership with Iberdrola, according to the company's release.
The initiative will enable berthed vessels to connect to onshore electricity and switch off auxiliary engines, thereby reducing emissions and noise.
According to APS president César Díaz, “this technology strengthens the role of our port as a key logistics hub, while demonstrating that sustainability is compatible with innovation and growth.” He described the project as “a decisive step towards the decarbonization of maritime transport and the improvement of air quality in the port environment.”
OPS-Santander aims to install infrastructure capable of supplying electricity to Ro-Ro ships, ferries, container vessels and cruise ships. Seven connection points will be deployed across four berths. Díaz noted that electrification will reduce CO₂ emissions “as well as noise and air pollution, improving the environmental quality of nearby port and urban areas.”
The system will have a capacity exceeding 5 MVA and will require a new high-voltage underground line, the construction of a substation on APS land, and low- and medium-voltage connections to the berths.
The project is budgeted at €20,986,951.20. Iberdrola will contribute €13,391,891.00 and APS €7,595,060.20. It has been submitted to the European funding call CEF-T-2024-AFIFGEN-COSTS, which could subsidize €6,296,085.36.
OPS-Santander aligns with the FuelEU Maritime regulation, which requires EU ports to provide onshore power from 2030 in AFIR-designated ports and from 2035 in others. APS said the project will position Santander “at the forefront of maritime transport’s ecological transition in Spain and Europe.” Iberdrola plans to replicate the model in other Iberian ports.
Autoridad Portuaria de Santander is a Spanish public body operating under the Puertos del Estado system, responsible for managing, administering and developing the Port of Santander. It holds regulatory authority over port land use, infrastructure investments and concessions.
Iberdrola, S.A. is a multinational energy company headquartered in Bilbao, Spain, and listed on the Bolsa de Madrid. It operates as a vertically integrated utility, with business activities spanning electricity generation, distribution, commercialization, and renewable energy development.