Andrew Connolly will join the energy and electrification panel at GreenPort Congress
As host of GreenPort Congress 2026, Portsmouth International Port’s pioneering shore power (OPS) journey is set to be a major focus of the conference, taking place from 7-9 October.
The opening day’s Session on Energy, electrification & net zero delivery in ports will hear first hand from some of the key players behind the Sea Change project which went live on 24 July.
Of equal interest to many of the GreenPort Congress delegates gathered in Portsmouth, the session will also hear from Andrew Connolly of the UK’s National Grid who will address the grid constraints and challenges faced by the many other ports on the Onshore Power Supply (OPS) road.
As Project Director for the National Grid’s Static Wound Plant Portfolio Team, Connolly has over 35 years’ experience in the electricity supply industry and currently leads the Static Wound Equipment (SWE) portfolio, covering international procurement from South Korean and European suppliers, manufacturing oversight, supply chain logistics and delivery of the largest and most critical assets used on the UK’s electricity transmission network.
These include power transformers, shunt reactors and other major plant, all fundamental to expanding the transmission system to meet net zero targets and often among the most complex components in major infrastructure projects.
Connolly is currently establishing a new organisation focused on the management, supply chain resilience, and delivery of Strategic Works Equipment, supporting National Grid’s unprecedented investment programme over the next decade. The current five-year period alone includes approximately £40 bn of transmission construction activity, with most projects dependent on the delivery of these critical assets.
Meanwhile, Portsmouth International Port’s OPS system now has ferries and cruise ships plugging in as it strives to become the country’s first zero-emissions port by 2050. With the UK’s first multi-berth, multi-user, multi-frequency shore power system, ships can now plug into clean electricity and turn off their engines while alongside, helping to improve the city’s air quality. Those with batteries will also be able to enter and exit the harbour under electric power.
As well as improving air quality for local residents, the system is projected to help avoid emissions of around 20,000 tonnes of CO2e from 2027.
See provisional programme here
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