Interferry is advocating for increased investment in Onshore Power Supply (OPS) infrastructure to support the sector’s move towards maritime electrification and hybridisation.
A study by Oxford Economics on behalf of Interferry highlighted the ferry industry’s substantial economic impact, transporting around 4.3 billion passengers and 373 million vehicles annually. Given the short to medium-long routes typical of ferry operations, battery technology is highly suitable for their electrification.
Mike Corrigan, CEO of Interferry, emphasized the urgency of developing OPS infrastructure to meet the International Maritime Organization’s decarbonisation targets. He urged governments and electricity utilities to allocate some of the revenues from carbon taxes to ports and terminals for electrification purposes.
Interferry therefore urges governments and electricity utilities to aggressively invest in the development of OPS infrastructure that will allow ferries to plug in and charge their onboard batteries. Many governments have implemented or will be implementing a carbon tax, so Interferry is urging for some of these tax revenues to be allocated to ports and terminals for electrification purposes
… explained Mike Corrigan
By using shore-powered onboard batteries instead of fossil fuels, ferries can significantly reduce their environmental footprint and avoid tapping into limited alternative fuel resources.
The lack of OPS facilities is a significant challenge for both large and small ferry operators. Stena Line, an Interferry member, has developed plans for a large electric-powered vessel, but the project’s feasibility depends on the availability of OPS infrastructure.
Similarly, the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) has secured funding for five zero-emission ferries but requires more shore power to operate them effectively.
Norway stands out as a model for successful maritime decarbonisation, with the government financing OPS infrastructure and fostering competition among ferry companies for zero-emission solutions. Heidi Wolden, CEO of Norway’s Norled, noted that operating zero-emission ferries has become a prerequisite for obtaining route concessions.
In conclusion, Corrigan stressed the necessity of rapidly deploying OPS facilities to help ferries worldwide meet national and global greenhouse gas reduction targets, with carbon-based taxes providing a logical source of funding for the required infrastructure.
