Port of Cartagena plans to offer shore power for cruise ships
The Spanish port of Cartagena has launched a tender for the design, construction and operation of an onshore power supply (OPS) system at the Juan Sebastián Elcano cruise terminal.
IMAGE: Aerial view of the bay with yachts in the city of Cartagena, Spain. Getty Images
The project will allow docked cruise ships to connect to the local electrical grid, enabling them to shut down their engines and cut emissions and noise, according to José María Gómez Fuster, chief executive of the Cartagena Port Authority.
Bidders have one month to submit proposals following the publication of the tender in Spain’s official state gazette.
Shore Power Expands Across Europe
OPS technology is gaining momentum as ports and ship operators aim to cut emissions while ships are docked.
According to DNV, 130 shore power facilities are currently operational in the EU, with another 118 planned to commence operations by 2030.
These developments align with the EU’s Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), which requires major coastal and inland ports within the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) to provide shore power for container and passenger vessels by the end of 2029.
Recent shore power initiatives include the Port of Antwerp-Bruges' plan to establish a shore power facility for cruise ships by the second half of 2026.
Additionally, the Port of Gothenburg is working on a project to install a transformer station to support container and RoRo ships.
The French Port of Toulon has recently completed the country's largest OPS installation.
By Tuhin Roy
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