Rotterdam Port installs country’s first shore-based power connection for ocean shipping
The Dutch Minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen yesterday activated the first shore-based power connection for sea-going vessels in the Netherlands at Rotterdam's Stena Line termina, Port Ttechnology reports.
Stena Line ferries will now be able to obtain their electricity from the mainland and no longer have to run their engines to generate power.
The investment will also improve the air quality considerably in the immediate vicinity of the terminal, according to the Port of Rotterdam Authority.
The installation of the shore-based power, which will be used by a total of four Stena Line vessels, was supported by the Port of Rotterdam Authority, the municipality of Rotterdam and the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment.
Around 300 shore-based power connections for inland shipping are located in Rotterdam city centre, including a special connection for river cruise vessels.
So far, there are no immediate plans for more connections for ocean shipping, due to the high costs involved; however, new and renovated quays have been prepared for shore-based power in the future.
