Shore power
Shore power is an environmentally friendly and noise-free way of mooring ships. Instead of using diesel generators, ships can connect to the electricity grid available at the wharf. This reduces emissions and therefore helps make ports greener. Numerous connection points are already available for barges and tugboats. Port of Antwerp-Bruges is committed to also providing shore power for the largest container ships by 2028.
Impact on local air quality
Shore power allows ships, when berthed, to turn off their ship's engines and switch to local power. Using shore power reduces emissions of CO₂, nitrogen and sulfur oxides and particulate matter, improves local air quality and reduces environmental noise. Port of Antwerp-Bruges offers renewable electricity and hereby maximises the CO₂ emission reduction of connecting to shore power.
Shore power for barges
There is a uniform shore power system for inland navigation in Flanders. On the website of the Flemish Inland Shipping Services platform you will find an overview of the network of shore-based power facilities in Flanders and you can read how to make use of those facilities.
Port of Antwerp-Bruges and the City of Antwerp offer skippers a large number of connection points to shore power in Antwerp. This network allows bargemasters to use electricity via the shore while the vessels are berthed at the waiting dock. We currently have three shore power sites under our management.
Where can you find our shore power distribution boxes?
In Antwerp, you can find our shore power distribution boxes at the locations listed below:
Waiting dock for barges at the Noordkasteel Dock
- 9 distribution boxes (max. 40A) for barges at Quay 75
- 2 distribution boxes (max. 125A) for tankers at Quay 85-87
Layby berths Canal Dock B2
- 14 distribution boxes with 3 connection points (2 max. 63A + 1 max. 32A) at Quay 780
In Zeebrugge, paper producer Stora Enso and the naval base already provide shore power to their ships. Shore power is also provided at the waiting quay for the tugs of Boluda Towage Europe.
How does it work?
For use of shore power, Port of Antwerp-Bruges provides three platforms in the Antwerp port area: Techmetrys, Connect4Shore and Ease2pay. As a user, you are free to choose between these providers.
Shore power for own fleet
Our own vessels all use shore power when moored in Port of Antwerp-Bruges. This is possible at the NOC (K602), at the Zandvliet and Berendrecht locks, at the Boudewijn and van Cauwelaert locks and at the Kieldrecht lock.
This involves a fleet of 32 vessels, consisting of tugs, dredgers and support vessels, which therefore use 1.5 GWh of shore power annually, thereby preventing 1,500 tons of CO₂ and 9 tons of NOx emissions.
Support for shore power
The expansion of the shore power installations in Antwerp was made possible with the support of the TEN-T project “Shore Power in Flanders” and of the BENEFIC project, which forms part of the EU's “Connecting Europe Facility”, funded by the European Commission.
Shore power can play a role in the sustainable transition of our port platform. That is why the development of shore power is a strategic priority for the coming years.
Jacques Vandermeiren,CEO Port of Antwerp-Bruges
Shore power for container ships by 2028
At the present time, very few terminals in Europe provide working shore power installations for deep-sea container shipping. Implementing this is complex and there are still various hurdles to overcome. For example, besides a clear regulatory framework, investments are needed that are unrealisable without public support.
What is more, only a limited number of container ships are currently equipped with shore power facilities. Together with the ports of Bremen, Hamburg, Haropa and Rotterdam, Port of Antwerp-Bruges is committed to providing shore power for the largest container ships by 2028.
Shore power for cruise ships by 2027
The cruise terminal in Zeebrugge is an important gateway for tourists, but substantial emissions are still produced when a ship is berthed. The shore power installation for the cruise terminal at Zweedse Kaai will be operational in Zeebrugge by the first quarter of 2027. Thanks to this investment, cruise ships will be able to switch off their generators while docked and still continue to use power, resulting in lower emissions and less noise pollution for the surrounding area.
Moderne energiehub aan de waterkant
We are building a conversion station to convert the incoming electricity to the correct voltage and frequency, and installing shore power cabinets at the quayside, which are connected underground to the conversion station. A mobile, movable loading arm will connect the vessel to the shore power cabinet. The conversion station includes technical installations such as transformers and frequency converters, as well as a garage area where the mobile loading arm can be stored when not connected to a ship.
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