European ports and Interferry have agreed to prioritise onshore power for the ferry sector
ESPO and Interferry intend to take a joint approach on the uptake of OPS Pictured: Isabelle Ryckbost, ESPO and Mike Corrigan, Interferry
Interferry and the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) have agreed a common work programme to promote the provision and use ofonshore power supply (OPS) for theEuropean ferry sector.
“Ferries are already leading the shipping industry’s transition to hybrid and fully electric systems, but major expansion of the electricity grid network is absolutely crucial to supporting the ultimate objectives,” saidMike Corrigan, CEO.
Collaborative working
The collaboration intends to take a joint approach on increasing uptake of OPS, in particular, urging ferry ports to act as soon as possible to deploy OPS and asking ferry lines to commit to using OPS whenever it is available.
The agreement notes that, increasingly, many ferries will use OPS not only for their energy consumption at berth, but also to recharge batteries for propulsion, prompting significantly higher power demand that will require corresponding upscaling of the grid network.
It notes that to optimise the effective deployment and use of OPS for the ferry industry, investments should initially be made where it makes most sense in terms of maximising emissions reductions per installation.
Accordingly, first priority for OPS development should be given to ferry terminals with high frequency of operation, as opposed to those with only occasional ferry calls.
The OPS obligations set out in the EC proposals for Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), which refer to a specified minimum number of calls per port, should therefore be adapted to foresee a minimum number of calls per terminal.
Both parties say that the exemptions to the OPS requirements under FuelEU Maritime and AFIR should be aligned to ensure the effective deployment and use of OPS.
They say that new fuels and technologies for greening the shipping industry should be encouraged and promoted alongside OPS. Butat this early stage it does not seem desirable to impose a requirement to deploy infrastructure for certain other technologies or fuels.
Lastly, the collaboration wants an EU-wide permanent and total tax exemption for electricity provided to ships at berth should be introduced in the Energy Taxation Directive in order to provide stronger and clearer incentives that promote the uptake and use of OPS.
They ask that ferries be recognised as a sustainable passenger transport mode that link Europe’s cities and regions and this should be better reflected in Europe’s transport policy, in particular in Flagship 3 of the European Commission (EC) Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy
