Klaipėda Port has announced that electrification operations of the first quays are about to start following the signing of the contract for the installation of infrastructure.
Next year, the port will already have RoRo ferries moored in the port, which will be supplied with electricity directly from the shore, thus reducing pollution and noise.
Three stations that will supply RoRo with electricity will be installed at Klaipėda Central Terminal and one – at Klaipėda Container Terminal in the southern part of the port. They are expected to be put into operation in 2026.
The successful tender, UAB Vakarų Resta, has been tasked with preparing the design, carrying out the construction operations of the foundations for transformer stations, and preparing the infrastructure for laying the cables from the transformer stations to the quays.
The work is expected to be completed by May, with a contract amounting to €238,000 ($246,000).
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In Estonia, work has been ongoing since mid-last year to complete the installation of shore power equipment for ships at the port. The equipment will be supplied and installed, with BLRT ERA AS, Lithuania Branch, handling all commissioning and adjustment operations.
Additionally, procurement procedures are in progress for the construction of the electricity grid. The selected contractor will be responsible for laying the cable from the substation to the newly built transformer stations.
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After the implementation, Klaipėda Port is planning to purchase electricity from suppliers who will generate it from renewable sources – wind and solar energy.
The project of the electrification of Klaipėda Port quays is partly financed under the Transport Programme of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). EU funding of €8.6 million ($8.8 million) is earmarked for the project, which is worth around €11 million ($13.6 million).
The entire project is expected to be completed in 2028.
“Klaipėda Port is changing its face,” said Algis Latakas, CEO of Klaipėda Port Authority.
“The electrification of quays is not only a modern technology but also a clear commitment to the city, the community and the environment. Imagine: vessels mooring at quays no longer emit smoke or noise – they use green electricity instead of fuel. The signed contract is the first concrete step towards this vision.”
