The UK Government has awarded funding to the Port of Aberdeen for a multi-million pound project, to design and deliver, the first large-scale landside and vessel-side shore power system in Scotland.
The new funding will see the design and installation of shore power facilities at seven berths on Albert Quay and Mearns Quay in the port’s North Harbour, which will be operational by April 2025 or sooner.
The demonstrator project, will cut vessel emissions at the berths by more than 80%, compared with burning marine fuel, and save in excess of 60,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent over the next 20 years.
‘Shore Power in Operation’ will pave the way for the roll-out of green shore power across North Harbour.
This could slash the port’s total emissions by 78%, equivalent to an annual reduction of 34,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
It’s worth noting that the Port of Aberdeen is leading an industry and academia consortium, including Connected Places Catapult, DOF Subsea, Tidewater Marine UK Ltd, OSM Offshore, The University of Manchester’s Tyndall Centre and Buro Happold, to deliver the ground-breaking initiative.
The project follows a successful Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC)-funded feasibility study completed in March 2022.
Bob Sanguinetti, chief executive of Port of Aberdeen noted that “partnership between the public and private sectors is essential to decarbonise the maritime industry. We have a bold ambition to become the UK’s first net zero port by 2040 and are investing £55 million over the next 10 years to turn this into reality.”
Furthermore, Port of Aberdeen is a partner on two other successful ZEVI projects.
The port is working with the Bibby Marine led consortium to build the world’s first zero-emission electric service operation vessel and supporting Ocean Infinity’s project for a high horsepower methanol vessel retrofit.
