Stockholm moves strides forward in OPS provision

This new facility allows cruise vessels to connect to electricity while docked, reducing emissions and noise levels and further strengthens Stockholm’s position as a leading sustainable cruise destination.

“The inauguration of Sweden’s first onshore power connection for cruise ships is a major milestone in creating a premium destination for sustainable cruise traffic, both in Stockholm and across the Baltic Sea,” said Jens Holm, chair of the board of Ports of Stockholm.

Swedish OPS first

The high-voltage OPS facility is built to international standards, allowing ships to switch off their auxiliary engines while at berth, thereby reducing emissions of air pollutants and lowering noise levels.

PSW Power & Automation supplied the two 8MVA and 16MVA power systems. The scope included the design and manufacture of the shore power system, high voltage electrical infrastructure and raising the architectural designed buildings on site.

The shore power systems mean that round 45% of cruise calls at Ports of Stockholm can now connect to electricity, which is sourced entirely from renewable energy, including wind and hydropower.

Together with three other Baltic Sea ports – Copenhagen/Malmö, Aarhus and Helsinki – Ports of Stockholm received EU funding for investments in OPS. One of the facilities in Stockholm has also received support from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s Klimatklivet initiative.

This new initiative supports Ports of Stockholm’s long-term goal of achieving zero emissions from shipping by 2040. Expanding onshore power connection for ships is one of the key measures to achieve this goal.

The OPS facility officially went live on 17 September, when TUI Cruises’ vessel Mein Schiff 7 connected to the onshore power supply.