TT Club has warned that a successful transition to onshore power supply (OPS) – also known as shore-side electricity or ‘cold ironing’ – will require careful planning, thorough risk assessment and early engagement with all stakeholders.
The EU’s Regulation 2023/1804 will require seagoing container and passenger ships calling at Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) core ports to use OPS from 2030.
From 2035, the requirement will extend to any EU port that has OPS installed, not just those on the TEN-T network.
However, by mid-2025, only about 20 per cent of the OPS connections needed in Europe had been installed or contracted. Cruise terminals were at roughly 38 per cent of the target, while container terminals lagged at around 11 per cent.
While investment commitments are rising – Italy alone has earmarked €700 million ($817 million) for OPS projects, and both the Netherlands and the UK have pledged several hundred million euros each – TT Club is warning against a knee-jerk reaction to the looming deadline.
According to Harry Palmer, Risk Assessment Manager at TT Club, cold ironing is becoming a crucial tool for ports and shipping lines to cut emissions and meet climate commitments.
READ: TT Club report calls for climate action at ports
“By allowing ships at berth to switch off their conventional engines and run on electricity from the quay, OPS can significantly reduce emissions and cut air pollution in ports and nearby communities,” Palmer said.
High upfront costs and precarious business models, however, have stifled its global adoption, Palmer argues. Despite this, European legislative climate action, compounded by rising public scrutiny, has left ports little option but to take action.
“Cold ironing is not just a matter of installing plugs on the quay; supplying far higher levels of steady power to multiple ships simultaneously will require massive grid upgrades, large transformers and an array of specialised connectors. We’re talking about building the energy and risk management systems that will support the long-term sustainability of maritime trade,” Palmer continued.
Palmer concluded that port authorities, owners and operators have to initiate thorough technical, financial and safety assessments now, while involving all relevant stakeholders throughout the process.
For more information:
TT Club – https://www.ttclub.com/
