Shore power means greener cruising in Rotterdam

The OPS installation positions Rotterdam ahead of the European law requiring shore power use in ports by 2030.

“We are proud and delighted that the shore power installation has been put into operation,” said Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of Port of Rotterdam Authority.

“After an intensive construction period, we are taking an important new step in making the port of Rotterdam and the city more sustainable. Shore power for cruise ships is a crucial and necessary part of this.”

One of a kind

Developed by Danish company PowerCon alongside the Port of Rotterdam Authority and other key partners, the shore power installation is one of a kind.

It involved installing a separate 1.5-kilometre sustainable electricity grid connection from Maashaven to Wilhelminakade.

A 230-metre-long cable duct at the quay enables flexible connection points for ships and an innovative support vehicle helps ensure seamless power transfer.

The cooling system of the shore power installation, like the cooling system of the cruise terminal, is cooled using water from the river Maas.

It’s a project which was carried out over a period of 22 months while the cruise terminal was operational and cruise ships were docking at the quay on a weekly basis.

Cruise Port Shore Power aims to connect 75% of cruise ships in Rotterdam to shore power within the first year, cutting CO2, nitrogen and particulate emissions, while significantly reducing noise pollution.