Port of Antwerp-Bruges is to receive a European grant of 3.2 million euros for a shore power installation for cruise ships in Zeebrugge
From 2026, cruise ships will be able to purchase green electricity when docked, four years before this becomes mandatory across Europe. The cruise terminal at the Zweedse Kaai in Zeebrugge is operated (as the only terminal) by the Port Authority itself, making it an ideal place to put that ambition into action.
The plans to build a shore power facility here fit within the project call from the EU’s Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF) programme as part of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). The Port Authority submitted the project and, today, the EU announced 3.2 million euros in subsidies for the shore power installation.
With the Port of Antwerp-Bruges shore power installation at our cruise terminal, the impact of cruise ships on our environment will be very much reduced. We are ahead of the European regulations with this. This subsidy recognises Port of Antwerp-Bruges’ efforts to accelerate the energy transition in the maritime sector.
… said Dirk De Fauw, Vice-President of the Board of Directors of Port of Antwerp-Bruges
As explained, cruise ships consume a lot of energy while at the dock. Thanks to the shore power installation, cruise ships docking in Zeebrugge will be able to switch to green electricity from the high-voltage grid. This eliminates the need for them to generate their own electricity with diesel generators. That, according to the Port, means no more emissions and also eliminates the noise from the running generators. In this way the impact on the environment, climate and surroundings reduces substantially.
In the meantime, the process is underway for appointing a partner to build, maintain and operate the shore power system. Talks about that are in the final stages.
Port of Antwerp-Bruges makes significant efforts to accelerate the energy transition in the maritime sector. This shore power installation is certainly not our first step in this field. Similarly, more sustainable fuels such as methanol and LNG are available at our port for ships that can run on them.
… commented Rob Smeets, Chief Operations Officer at Port of Antwerp-Bruges
