The Port of Gioia Tauro has completed its first cold ironing operation on a mega containership, powering the vessel entirely from the shoreside electricity grid.
The Southern Tyrrhenian and Ionian Sea Port System Authority, led by President Paolo Piacenza, confirmed the test involved the MSC Mirja, a containership with a capacity of more than 19,000 TEUs.
After docking, technical staff connected the vessel to the cold ironing system’s mobile socket, and following checks and interfacing with the electrical substation, the ship shut down its auxiliary engines to run entirely on shore power, drawing on a total capacity of approximately seven MW.
The operation places Gioia Tauro among the first European ports to bring one of the strategic decarbonisation infrastructures envisaged under EU maritime transport policy into full operation.
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Paolo Piacenza, President of the Southern Tyrrhenian and Ionian Sea Port System Authority, said: “Today, the Port of Gioia Tauro is taking a step that marks a historic moment not only for our port, but for the entire national port system. A mega container ship shut down its engines while docked, drawing power exclusively from the shoreside electricity grid. We’re not talking about a simply completed infrastructure, but a fully functional system serving shipping companies.
“This result demonstrates how sustainability can translate into concrete innovation and competitiveness. Gioia Tauro continues to pioneer the transformation of European ports, investing in technologies that reduce environmental impact and strengthen the attractiveness of the port, making it increasingly efficient, sustainable, and integrated with major international logistics networks.”
Cold ironing allows docked vessels to switch off onboard diesel generators, cutting atmospheric emissions and noise pollution while at berth.
The project is one of the largest energy investments currently underway across Italy’s port system. The Port System Authority is aiming to raise electricity availability to 80 MW to serve docked ships, while Medcenter Container Terminal SpA (MCT), the terminal concessionaire, is separately electrifying its automatic dock cranes and upgrading its electric STS cranes, requiring a further 80 MW.
For more information:
Port System Authority of the Southern Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas – https://www.portodigioiatauro.it/autorita-portuale/
