Impulse for expansion of shore power in seaports through investment by the ministry and sector
In the coming years, the Ministry of Infrastructure will release 140 million euros to help with the realization of shore power installations in seaports. Another 40 million euros will be added from the climate fund.
By offering moored ships the opportunity to ‘plug in’, polluting diesel generators on the ships do not have to run and less noise pollution is also caused.
On Monday, Minister Mark Harbers (Infrastructure and Water Management) signed a letter of intent with the Sector Organization Seaports (BOZ), in which the public-private agreements on the roll-out of shore power are laid down.
With the upcoming Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), European ports will be obliged from 2030 to provide so-called AFIR ships with shore power. These are container ships, cruise ships, passenger ships and combined passenger and cargo ships from 5000 GT. These are all large ships, which also use a lot of energy at the quay.
The resources for shore power are mainly intended for terminals where AFIR ships moor, but other shore power projects for maritime shipping will also be eligible for subsidy.
The BOZ has previously calculated that some 270 megawatts of shore power capacity will have to be installed in the ports for the AFIR ships in the coming years in order to meet the upcoming obligation, with a required investment of more than 300 million euros. The sector organization assumes a CO2 reduction of more than 220 kilotons per year (equal to approximately 75,000 households moving away from gas) and a 2.5 kiloton NOX reduction. When shore power is also offered to ships that will not be subject to the obligation, the potential and environmental benefits will be even greater.
By realizing shore power facilities, environmental benefits are not only achieved and noise nuisance is reduced: nitrogen space may also be created for climate projects in the port.
The five major seaports of national importance work together with IenW and the terminals on the shore power task in the respective ports. This concerns the ports of Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Groningen, Moerdijk and North Sea Port (Vlissingen, Terneuzen and Ghent).