Antwerp to offer shore power connectivity from 2026

It will be the first shore power connection in Belgium for seagoing vessels built according to ISO standards, the port authority claims. 

PHOTO: The Antwerp Euroterminal. Port of Antwerp

The shore power facility in the Antwerp Euroterminal (AET) will begin operations in 2026. Moored ships can plug into a socket on the quay to connect to the local electricity grid. 

The facility will be equipped with two shore connections with a total 5-MW capacity. The connections can be assessed by car carriers and roll-on/roll-off ships (ConRo). It will later be expanded to accommodate different types of ships in the future. 

The electricity for shore power will be generated through wind turbines installed and operated by Antwerp-based onshore wind farm developer Wind aan de Stroom.  A tech consortium, High voltage Onshore Power As a Service (HOPaS), will install and run the facility. 

Shore power, also known as cold ironing, can help to reduce a vessel's overall fuel consumption and lower emissions around the port area. But it does not have a dramatic impact on global shipping emissions.

By Manjula Nair

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