Valletta Cruise Port starts offering shore power

UK-based cruise port operator Global Ports Holding (GPH) will now offer shore-to-ship power connectivity for cruise ships at its subsidiary Valletta Cruise Port in Malta, the company said.

PHOTO: Onshore Power Supply (OPS) system connected to a cruise ship. Valletta Cruise Port

Cruise vessels at the Valletta Port will now be able to connect to the Onshore Power Supply (OPS) system, GPH said. Two cruise ships, Viking Saturn and Viking Venus, have already been powered through the new OPS system, the company added. Both vessels used the shore power facility late last week.

The project is valued at €49.9 million ($54 million) and will be able to provide shore power on five cruise ship quays at the Valletta Port.

Announced in 2021, the project was led by Malta's Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects and supported by Valletta Cruise Port, GPH said.

Shore-to-ship power or “cold ironing” is an electrical power supply provided to ships when they are docked at ports. Instead of running the engines onboard to power essential systems while docked at ports, shore power facilities allow ships to connect to the local electrical grid.

By Aparupa Mazumder 

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