APM Terminals (APMT) Maasvlakte II (MVII) is preparing to offer shore power for sea-going vessels by 2028 in an effort to make the Port of Rotterdam more sustainable.
Shore power will allow ships to plug into the local electricity grid while they are docked, meaning they no longer need to keep their diesel engines running.
This development comes from a partnership between APMT and Rotterdam Shore Power, a joint venture formed by the Port of Rotterdam Authority and energy company Eneco.
Once in place, shore power at the terminal is expected to lower carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 7,000 tonnes per year, in addition to cutting nitrogen and particulate matter pollution. The terminal estimates that ships will use around 13,000 megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity annually once the system is up and running.
The goal is to have the system operational well ahead of the European regulations that will require containerships to use shore power by 2030.
READ: Port of Rotterdam plans electrolyser on the Maasvlakte
Harold Kunst, CEO of APM Terminals MVII, commented: “Offering shore power to our clients is the next logistical step in our global ambition to minimise emissions in the maritime sector.
“This collaboration with Rotterdam Shore Power is a significant step in our joint ambition to make the Port of Rotterdam a global pioneer in the field of sustainability.”
APMT MVII already operates as a CO2-neutral facility, using electric equipment like Lift Automated Guided Vehicles (L-AGVs), which are powered by wind energy.
