Portsmouth Port Begins Shore Power Project to Cut Emissions

Construction has commenced this week at one of the UK’s busiest ports to enable cross-Channel ferries and cruise ships to connect to shore-side electricity. Beginning next spring, up to three vessels simultaneously will have the capability to power down their engines while docked in Portsmouth. The objective is to mitigate pollution and enhance air quality throughout the city. Cables are currently being installed beneath the port to link ships of varying dimensions to the national electricity grid. Brittany Ferries, the port’s primary client, is scheduled to introduce two new hybrid-powered ferries to Portsmouth. The initial vessel, named St Malo, is presently en route from a shipyard located in China. Its arrival is anticipated later in November, with passenger and freight services commencing next February. These ferries will operate exclusively on batteries, producing no emissions, while navigating Portsmouth harbour, and will only activate their fossil fuel engines upon reaching the Solent. This undertaking, designated “Sea Change,” receives financial backing totaling £19.8 million from the Department for Transport and £4.6 million from Portsmouth City Council, the proprietor of the port. The port has set a target to achieve carbon neutrality by the year 2030. It asserts that the provision of shoreside power will contribute to preventing the release of 20,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year. Maritime Minister Mike Kane MP stated: “Plug-in technology is key to reducing domestic shipping emissions, and I know that ports across the UK are already working on decarbonisation plans.” In the vicinity, Southampton possesses the capability to connect a single cruise ship to shore power concurrently. However, during peak weekends, this port accommodates five or six cruise ships daily. Conversely, ferries operating routes between the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth, Southampton, and Lymington lack this ability, owing to an inadequate power supply at their respective terminals. Both Wightlink and Red Funnel have expressed an interest in procuring battery-powered ferries to substitute their current vessels, utilizing technology already implemented in nations such as Norway. Nevertheless, they are unable to commit to this cleaner power source until a dependable electricity supply is assured. For further updates, BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight can be followed on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC does not accept responsibility for the content of external sites. Details concerning our approach to external linking are available.