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Portsmouth to start work on shore power scheme

[ September 11, 2023   //   ]

Portsmouth International Port is to start work on a shore power system at its three busiest berths following a £19.8m award from the Government’s Zero Emissions Vessels and Infrastructure competition, funded by UK Government and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.

The port will embark on the Sea Change project with Brittany Ferries, alongside the University of Portsmouth, MSE International, B4T, IOTICS and Swanbarton. It will allow visiting ferry or cruise ships to turn off their engines when in the port, as they will be able to use green electricity to run their onboard systems.

Sea Change is part of the Zero Emissions Vessels and Infrastructure competition (ZEVI), announced in February, funded by UK Government and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK. As part of ZEVI, the Department for Transport allocated over £80m to ten flagship projects to deliver real world demonstration projects in clean maritime solutions in locations from the Orkney Isles to the south-west of England.

The project realises the full potential of two new LNG-electric hybrid ships from Brittany Ferries, which will begin sailing from Portsmouth starting in spring 2025 and will be shore-power ready.

The Sea Change project partners plan to share learnings and collaborate with ferry ports across the UK to encourage further emissions reduction and help the industry reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by or around 2050, a target declared by the International Maritime Organisation.

Alongside this, the project will help develop the necessary skills for green shipping and infrastructure, design, manufacturing and maintenance capability.

Working alongside the Solent’s industry clusters, it will support education initiatives and help grow skills across the Solent, safeguard existing jobs through upskilling and create new high-skill opportunities, driving growth and investment across the region.

Cabinet Member with responsibility for the port at Portsmouth City Council, Gerald Vernon-Jackson, said: “Improving air quality is one of the most pressing issues facing Portsmouth today. Across the council we’re undertaking a huge range of projects to combat harmful emissions, which includes already approving a massive upgrade of the electricity supply to the port so this project can happen.

“It’ll also bring new high-skilled jobs and investment to the city, so I’m delighted we can now deliver this for the people of Portsmouth.”

Technical director at Portsmouth International Port, Stephen Watkyns, added: “This revolutionary multi-user, multi-berth shore power facility will be a UK first. It means we’ll be able to provide shore power for ships on three of our berths, including providing power for the hybrid Brittany Ferries ships coming in 2025.”

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