Northern European ports have joined forces in an ambitious initiative to drastically reduce emissions from container ships docking at their berths. With joint funding of €18.8 million from the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility, the ports of Aarhus, Gothenburg, Bremerhaven and Stockholm aim to provide shore-based power by 2030 through the EU.OPS.Network project.
Northern European ports ready to comply with EU regulations
Port of Aarhus COO Anne Zachariassen underlined the relevance of this project in the global context of the green transition. In her words, this collaboration represents an essential step forward in meeting the challenge of the shipping industry’s climate footprint , especially with the aim of complying with upcoming EU regulations, which will require vessels over 5,000 gross tons to be connected to the power grid in ports.
Land-based power will enable container ships to use grid electricity instead of their diesel engines, resulting in lower CO2 and nitrogen oxide emissions, thereby improving local air quality and port working conditions.
Stockholm ports and green energy
Stockholm’s Norvik Port, which has already had a green energy -ready infrastructure since its opening in 2020 , will be a key point in this transformation. Johan Wallén, Marketing Director at Ports of Stockholm, said that EU funding reflects the priority nature of this project and highlights the electrification of the sector as a key solution for more sustainable transport.
This effort contributes directly to the EU’s Fit for 55 goals, which aim to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 55% by 2030. Advances in land-based energy are an essential component in this landscape, driving positive change in port logistics.
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Source: Ports Of Stockholm
Photo: Shutterstock
