NatPower Marine and Peel Ports Group will begin installing shore power at Heysham Port in September 2025, with the first plug becoming operational in the initial phase and an expansion to four across all berths by 2026.
According to the companies, the project will enable all Irish Sea routes from Heysham to operate with zero emissions both at berth and at sea, as part of a wider programme to electrify shipping corridors.
The project is valued at approximately £10 million, with NatPower Marine providing the infrastructure and Peel Ports Group offering operational support. It is part of a £100 million plan to roll out e-ship charging infrastructure across all Peel Ports Group locations in Great Britain and Ireland.
Once four berths at Heysham are electrified, the companies expect annual reductions of more than 10,000 tonnes of CO2, alongside lower emissions of NOx and SO2. The initiative is intended to support the UK Government’s industrial and economic growth objectives by promoting sustainable passenger and freight transport.
Peel Ports Group has stated that Heysham could become the UK’s first net-zero port, while NatPower Marine is developing further partnerships with other ports and shipping operators.
NatPower Marine Development Director Martin Olverson said: “Heysham is where the UK's first green shipping corridor becomes real. One plug will soon become four, serving every Heysham route to Ireland and giving operators the confidence to move quickly on vessel electrification. We are building the backbone of a clean shipping network so ferry and freight lines can invest in the next generation of zero-emission ships.”
Peel Ports Group Managing Director Lewis McIntyre added: “Shipping is already the greenest form of transport but there’s still a huge role for ports to play in decarbonising the supply chain. We can only do that with collaboration, innovation and long-term commitment from everyone involved, which this project embodies. However, this goes far beyond environmental goals. Ports are the lifeblood of UK plc and so many of our national economic and social ambitions rely on a thriving maritime sector.”
NatPower Marine is part of the NatPower Group and develops charging infrastructure for electric ships, including shore power for propulsion and cold ironing. The company is building a global network of 120 port charging sites by 2030.
NatPower Group is an international energy transition developer with around 30 GW of projects in the UK, USA, Italy, Kazakhstan, and other countries. Its subsidiaries include NatPower H, focused on hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, and NatPower UK, which is developing renewable capacity and large-scale battery storage.
Peel Ports Group is the second-largest port operator in the UK. It owns and operates six major UK ports, as well as a container terminal in Dublin, BG Freight Line, and Peel Ports Logistics. The group handles around 70 million tonnes of cargo annually and employs approximately 2,000 people.