'World-class' shore power system reaches peak capacity at Portsmouth International Port with Amadea ship visit
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It was a UK first as three ships was plugged into the system at the same time
Green energy efforts have been rewarded as the port’s shore power system reached peak capacity in a UK first.
Three vessels were plugged into the new charging system at the same time at Portsmouth International Port last Wednesday (September 23). Phoenix Reisen’s luxury cruise ship Amadea was among them, alongside Brittany Ferries’ hybrid vessels Saint-Malo and Guillaume de Normandie.
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Political figures, alongside civic dignitaries and maritime representatives, were invited to the port in Wharf Road to celebrate the occasion. Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan, Labour, saw the system go live for the first time.
He said: “Portsmouth’s vision is to become a world-class, net-zero port at the heart of a thriving, maritime cluster. This vision is becoming a reality for our city and its port through the government’s marine decarbonisation strategy and backed by investment from ministers.
"It was a pleasure to attend the event to celebrate the delivery of shore power to Portsmouth and congratulate the port’s dedicated team for their hard work and dedication. Our port’s success is our city’s success and I look forward to continuing to work with the team at Portsmouth International Port to unlock its exciting green future.”
Extensive construction work was undertaken to install the shore power system. It was used for the first time in July this year. The system allows cruise ships and ferries to plug in and charge up - turning off engines while docked to save carob emissions and provide a cleaner environment to passengers.
These upgrades were funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) to the tune of £19.8m, alongside £4.6m from Portsmouth City Council. It’s projected that emissions of around 20,000 tonnes of CO2e from 2027.
Port officials celebrated the UK-first of three ships being plugged into the shore power system. Amadea brought more than 500 passengers to the city, with shuttle buses ferrying them to tourist attractions across the city. The Phoenix Reisen ship has visited several times in the past, but hooked up to the charging system for the first time on September 23.