Gothenburg powers ships using hydrogen

The method may pave the way for reduced emissions in other ports where conventional shore power connections are not feasible.

“Since the climate is a shared concern for us all, it is also in everyone’s interest that as many ports as possible around us succeed in meeting these demands,” said Viktor Allgurén, head of innovation at the Port of Gothenburg.

“With our extensive experience in OPS, we are pleased to partner with Stena Line to serve as a testbed for this new technology, which may very well prove to be a viable solution for many ports.” 

An alternative solution

The first On-shore Power Supply (OPS) systems were installed at the Port of Gothenburg in the early 2000s. At that time, the OPS-facilities at Stena Line’s terminals for Germany and Denmark traffic were among the first of their kind in the world.

However, many other ports in the EU and across the globe have not come as far and often lack necessary prerequisites. OPS systems require significant investment as well as a robust underlying electrical infrastructure in the ports.

In such ports, alternative solutions are needed. Mobile hydrogen generators, like the one currently being tested at Stena Line’s Germany terminal, may offer a promising way forward.

As part of a two-week pilot project, a hydrogen-powered generator has been connected to Stena Line’s existing shore power facility at the Port of Gothenburg. Using green hydrogen as fuel, the generator has supplied electricity to the vessel Stena Germanica and Stena Scandinavica while docked.

“At Stena Line, we are eager to collaborate to test new technologies aimed at reducing emissions from our industry. This project shows that there are alternative solutions for ports that lack the infrastructure for shore power,” says Anders Peterson, Group Head of Port Development & Engineering at Stena Line.

The hydrogen generator being tested at the Port of Gothenburg was developed by Hitachi Energy, whose technology partner PowerCell Group supplies the generator’s power modules and expertise in fuel cell integration. During the test, the generator used 100% green hydrogen supplied by gas producer Linde Gas.

The Port of Gothenburg is embracing hydrogen which it said has a multitide of uses in the port context.

It has a hydrogen refueling station for trucks, hydrogen-powered work vehicles are currently being tested, and the technology used in the current OPS trial has also recently been used in the port by Skanska to power heavy machinery in a major terminal expansion project.