Antwerp Euroterminal To Install 1st Shore Power Connection For Seagoing Vessels In Belgium

Antwerp Euroterminal has announced the installation of the first shore power connection for seagoing vessels in Belgium.

The connection will offer electricity to docked vessels at the port in a quiet and environmentally friendly way.

The first-ever, unique shore power for seagoing vessels in Belgium will be operational at Antwerp Euroterminal in 2026.

According to the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, the installation is built following the international ISO standards.

Shore power permits moored vessels to connect to a local electricity grid via a socket on the quay.

It minimises CO2, sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter emissions, yields improved local air quality and reduces environmental noise.

Two fixed shore power connections for con-ro vessels and car carriers are being installed at the Antwerp Euroterminal.

AET is the largest multipurpose terminal in Europe and one of the 24 terminals of the Grimaldi Group.

Even though the European obligation to offer shore power for container vessels by 2030 doesn’t apply to ro-ro or con-ro vessels, the AET chooses to provide it.

This move makes them the first-ever terminal at the port of Antwerp-Bruges—and also in Belgium—to offer a fixed future-proof shore power installation for seagoing vessels constructed beyond current EU directives and regulations.

High-voltage Onshore Power-As-a-Service (HOPaS), a tech and service consortium comprising Techelec, Whitewood, and Yuso, will install, invest in, and operate the onshore power solution at AET.

The installation further foresees two shore connections with a capacity of 5MW, especially for Grimaldi’s brand-new ro-ro vessels.

The commissioned initiatives will require a €25–€30m investment, to which the Flemish Agency for Innovation (abbreviated VLAIO) allowed a €4 million subsidy.

Three wind turbines installed at the terminal site and operated by Wind aan de Stroom initially produce 100% green electricity.

Besides, the extra capacity will be generated by solar panels on the roof of the terminal’s multi-level parking garage, and two additional windmill turbines have been planned to be installed at the terminal.

The green energy generated will be stored in an extensive battery system to optimize the use of generated electricity.

Annick De Ridder, the board of directors president at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, stated that shore power is an efficient measure to lower emissions and is crucial for any sustainable ambition as a world port.

Yves De Larivière, the CEO at Antwerp Euroterminal, added that the firm already has plugs for its cars and e-bikes and will soon have them for trucks as well.

Plugging vessels will be a significant step forward.

The solution also opens the door to a new dimension in the eco-friendly technique of Grimaldi and AET.

Andrea D’Ambra, associated with the Grimaldi Group, stated that the firm was excited about its new project.

She mentioned that it would permit vessels to use green energy for port stays and enable the group to continue making progress toward decarbonising activities.

Reference: Offshore Energy

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Source: Maritime Shipping News