EMEA News
Port of Bilbao Awards €50 Million Shore Power Contract
Spain's Port of Bilbao has awarded a contract worth €50.1 million ($56.74 million) to develop electrical infrastructure to allow ships to draw electricity from the power grid.
The contract has been awarded to a joint venture formed by companies Sampol Ingeniería y Obras, Comsa Instalaciones y Sistemas Industriales and Montajes Eléctricos San Ignacio, the Bilbao Port Authority said in an emailed statement on Wednesday.
"The works are the second and most ambitious phase of the electrification of the port, centred on Docks A1, A2, A6, AZ3, and Getxo 2 and 3, which house the terminals for containers, ferries, ro-pax and ro-ro traffic, and cruise ships," it said.
Shore power, also known as cold ironing or onshore power supply (OPS), is being increasingly adopted at European ports as part of broader efforts to cut air pollution and emissions.
By allowing ships to shut down their auxiliary engines while docked, the system significantly reduces noise and harmful exhaust emissions in port areas.
However, while shore power helps reduce local environmental impact, the shipping industry must continue investing in alternative-fuelled vessels to achieve significant reductions in global emissions.
