Copenhagen’s first shore power facility inaugurated

Scandinavian port operator Copenhagen Malmo Port (CMP) has inaugurated the first shore power facility at the DFDS terminal in Copenhagen.

As informed, the facility comes as a result of a partnership between CMP and Danish ferry and logistics company DFDS. With the new facility, the DFDS ferries now have the possibility to connect to shore power in both Copenhagen and Oslo. Now the ships can switch off the generators in port and thus significantly reduce the emission of air pollutants and particles, according to the companies.

“With the new shore power facility, we are taking an important step towards a Copenhagen with less air pollution. It is good for both the climate and the neighbours of the port that the ferries can now turn off the diesel engine and connect to climate-friendly electricity when they dock,” said the Copenhagen’s mayor Lars Weiss.

“I also look forward to establishing shore power for the cruise ships at Langelinie and in Nordhavn, as soon as Folketinget has changed the legislation,” Weiss added.

“We are facing the green transition, which is enormously complex, and it is precisely partnerships and joint efforts such as this that are essential when we need to develop green, innovative solutions and move in the right direction,” Peder Gellert Pedersen, Executive Vice President and Head of Ferry Division at DFDS, pointed out.

The shore power facility for DFDS is the first in Copenhagen, but this will not be the last. In 2024, cruise ships in the port in Copenhagen are expected to be able to use shore power when they dock at Ydre Nordhavn and at Langelinie in Østerbro,the companies revealed.

“Right now we are working on finding advisors for the work to establish shore power for the city’s cruise ships in Ydre Nordhavn and on Langelinie, so that in the future we can ensure lower CO2 emissions from the ships – and thereby cleaner air to Copenhageners,” By & Havn’s CEO Anne Skovbro concluded.

This September, DFDS announced its plans to launch its first green vessel no later than 2025. To meet the deadline, DFDS has formed Sustainable Fleet Projects, a new department tasked with decarbonizing the company’s vessels, starting with addressing urgent challenges regarding the development of the inaugural green vessel.

The new projects are a part of the company’s strategy to accelerate its climate plan in an effort to decarbonize the maritime sector sooner than expected. A year ago, DFDS developed an ambitious climate plan unveiling its goal to become climate neutral by 2050.