Klaipėda Port kicks off quay electrification project

The Port of Klaipėda in Lithuania has begun installing the required infrastructure to supply electricity to moored vessels, a move expected to ‘significantly’ cut down on harmful emissions and noise pollution in the area.

As disclosed, this endeavor involves the construction of three stations that will supply roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) ferries with electricity at the Klaipėda central terminal and one at the Klaipėda container terminal in the southern part of the port. Electrification is reportedly also planned for quays where container vessels and cruise ships are docked.

The initial four stations are slated to be put into operation in 2026 while the entire project to electrify the port quays is anticipated to be wrapped up in 2028. After the project has been finished, Klaipėda Port said it would purchase electricity from suppliers who generate it from renewable sources, i.e. wind and solar energy.

According to the port, the endeavor is partly financed by the Transport Programme of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). It is understood that EU funding of €8.6 million has been put aside for the initiative, which is reportedly valued at €11 million in total.

Port representatives have revealed that Lithuanian company UAB Vakarų Resta is in charge of designing and building the stations’ foundations as well as preparing the necessary infrastructure for laying the cables from the transformer stations to the quays. This contract—said to be worth €238,000—is scheduled for completion by May this year.

As explained, work on the equipment needed to supply electricity to ships at the port from the shore began in mid-last year. Per Klaipėda Port, the Lithuanian branch of the Estonia-headquartered manufacturer BLRT ERA AS is set to handle the equipment’s supply, installation and all commissioning and adjustment operations.

“Klaipėda port is changing its face. The electrification of quays is not only modern technology but also a clear commitment to the city, the community and the environment. Imagine: vessels mooring at quays no longer emit smoke or noise – they use green electricity instead of fuel. The signed contract is the first concrete step towards this vision,” Algis Latakas, CEO of Klaipėda Port Authority, highlighted.

Over the past years, the Port of Klaipėda—one of the few ice-free ports in northern Europe—has endeavored to keep pace with worldwide sustainability-oriented ambitions.

For instance, in April 2024, the port signed a memorandum of understanding with Singapore-based independent common carrier X-Press Feeders and five other European ports to speed up the creation of green shipping corridors and decarbonize the maritime industry in Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea.

Through this agreement, the participants said they would pool resources and expertise to craft and implement eco-friendly practices for maritime operations in the region(s).

In other, recent news, in mid-January 2025, Klaipėda Port took a step forward in the ambition to set up the region’s first green hydrogen production and refueling station, having commissioned the UK’s engineering firm IMI to supply a PEM electrolyzer for the station.

The construction is scheduled to begin this year, with a total estimated value of €10.5 million.