Sweden opens its ‘first’ onshore power facility for cruise ships

Ports of Stockholm has inaugurated ‘Sweden’s first’ onshore power connection for international cruise ships, improving the region’s position as a sustainable cruise traffic destination.

The new onshore power supply (OPS) facility — said to be one of Europe’s first — was officially put into operation on September 17 when the shipping company TUI Cruises’ brand new methanol-ready vessel Mein Schiff 7 was connected.

The facility allows ships to connect to electricity at berth, reducing emissions and noise levels.

“The inauguration of Sweden’s first onshore power connection for cruise ships is an important milestone in creating a premium destination for sustainable cruise traffic, both in Stockholm and throughout the Baltic Sea region. Cruise ships can now connect to electricity from the quayside, greatly reducing their impact on the environment,” Jens Holm, Chair of the Board of the Ports of Stockholm, commented.

Specifically, the new high-voltage facility is built to international standards and allows ships to switch off their auxiliary engines while at berth. This reduces emissions of air pollutants and reduces noise levels.

At least 45% of cruise calls at Ports of Stockholm can now connect to electricity. The electricity used is 100% green and comes from renewable sources such as wind and hydro power.

Ports of Stockholm rewards shipping customers who implement environmental improvement measures. This is done by offering discounts on port fees for ships that achieve high environmental performance according to the Environmental Ship Index (ESI) and Clean Shipping Index (CSI). The discounts aim to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and particles.

Together with three other Baltic Sea ports – Copenhagen/Malmö, Aarhus and Helsinki – Ports of Stockholm has received EU funding for investments in OPS. One of the facilities in Stockholm has also received support from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s Klimatklivet initiative.

Ports of Stockholm said it is working long-term to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants together with its shipping customers, and to reduce noise levels from ships and port operations. The aim is to achieve zero emissions from shipping in the port areas by 2040. Expanding onshore power connection for ships is one of the key measures to achieve this goal.

Other ports in Europe are also implementing shore power projects in an effort to stay ahead of the global decarbonization game and comply with both regional and global regulations.