ABB to install shore power for DEME vessels in Port of Vlissingen

Switzerland-based technology company ABB has secured a contract to deliver shoreside shore connection installations allowing DEME’s diverse fleet to avoid emissions when berthed in the port of Vlissingen, the Netherlands.

As informed, ABB will install shore power to connect to suitably equipped vessels calling at Vlissingen’s DEME base by the end of 2024, as part of the “Temporary Shore Power Grant Scheme for Marine Vessels 2022 – 2023”, a government-supported initiative that stimulates the construction and use of shore power facilities in Dutch seaports.

DEME has set itself a goal of cutting 40% from the greenhouse gases (GHGs) generated by its fleet by 2030 compared to 2008, moving significantly ahead of the revised emissions reduction target set by the International Maritime Organization in 2023.

“This project is part of DEME’s wider strategy to integrate its sustainable business goals with daily operations,” Marc De Boom, Department Manager, DEME Base Vlissingen, commented.

“DEME has high ambitions regarding CO₂ reductions, and we are proud to be the first Belgian marine contractor who achieved the highest level of the CO₂ performance ladder, which is widely used in the Netherlands and Belgium. We are happy to collaborate with ABB, an experienced and reliable technology leader with a solid track record in shore connection installations.”

Ultimately planned as a 2MvA converter, ABB’s shoreside shore connection will run at a lower 1.75MvA until the local grid can deliver sufficient capacity between the substation and the power outlet at the dock. In a straightforward installation, the entire solution will be housed in two ISO containers – one 40-ft unit and one 20-ft unit.

“We are delighted to have secured this significant shore connection contract and look forward to working with DEME to support its ambitious commitments for maritime decarbonization,” Frank van Delden, Account Manager, ABB Marine & Ports, said.

“Given the diversity of the DEME fleet, this is a key reference for our shore power technology, showing that almost any type of vessel can avoid emissions by connecting to shore power at the quay.”

Offering a key route for ship owners to make measurable progress towards decarbonization, connecting to shore power for energy needs while at berth is expected to become mandatory at main EU ports listed in the trans-European transport network from 2030, under FuelEU Maritime regulations.

A recent study estimated that the European Union would need to triple or quadruple its installed shore power by 2030 to meet the current ambitions of the FuelEU Maritime regulation and the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR).

Specifically, the study identified 51 ports across 15 EU coastal Member States equipped with 309 MW of shore power, primarily in passenger and cruise terminals but the current capacity falls short of energy demand, requiring additional power installations.