Port of Amsterdam to install ship-to-shore power for sea cruises by 2025

July 20, 2022, by Ajsa Habibic

The Dutch Port of Amsterdam has started the design phase for the installation of ship-to-shore power for sea cruises at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA) to make the berths greener.

The port kicked off the design phase together with grid operator Liander. As one of the components of this phase, the laying of a power cable needs to be ready by early 2025.

At the same time, the partners are working on the design of the necessary installations at the PTA with a European subsidy that the port received for this phase.

The Dutch port expects the European tender process to start after the summer so that both sea cruise and river cruise ships will be able to use the ship-to-shore power at the PTA from the start of the cruise season in 2025.

In addition, the possibility of using the available power for other purposes, such as charging infrastructure, is being explored, the port said.

The installation of ship-to-shore power at the PTA is part of the Clean Shipping Vision in which the Port of Amsterdam maps out the pathway to make vessel traffic more sustainable.

According to the plan, vessel traffic in the Port of Amsterdam should be completely emission-free by 2050.

Dorine Bosman, chief investment officer at the Port of Amsterdam, said: “With the installation of ship-to-shore power, we are working on improving the air quality in the area and making cruises more sustainable.

“We are also going to be more selective in which sea cruises we allow. From 2024 onwards, older ships (with older engines) will no longer be allowed to dock at the PTA. Ships that can connect to ship-to-shore power as from 2025 will be given priority to dock at the PTA. We are investing in a clean port, clean vessel traffic and a clean city.”