September 16 Port of Barcelon marked one year since the MSC Mette, one of the world’s largest container ships, was connected to the Onshore Power Supply (OPS) system at the BEST terminal. The OPS supplied 100% renewable energy and allowed the MSC Mette to shut down its engines while moored, generating no emissions. It was the first time such an operation had been carried out in a Mediterranean port, and it has since been repeated thirty times, preventing the emission of 2,310 tons of CO2, Port of Barcelona said.
During this year, the OPS has supplied nearly 3.4 million kWh of renewable energy to the container ships moored at the BEST terminal, the vast majority of which had a capacity of 24,000 TEUs, but also to a ship with a capacity of 5,000 TEUs, demonstrating the system’s adaptability. Likewise, the majority of the ships connected have been from the MSC shipping company, but connections have also been made on CMA CGM ships.
The first anniversary of the entry into operation of BEST’s OPS also marks the halfway point of the two-year pilot phase. During this time, the connections, in addition to reducing emissions, allow the Port of Barcelona to collect real-time information and analyze the challenges posed by its connection to the electricity grid in order to optimize this service as much as possible. In this sense, the thirty connections made so far have prioritized maximizing the connection time of each ship, streamlining the connection as much as possible and integrating it into the set of operations performed each time a ship docks, such as mooring or positioning the terminal cranes for loading and unloading. Thus, the average connection duration was 54 hours, with the longest connection exceeding 91 hours, a European record.
“Over the course of this year, we have launched the OPS system 30 times with 17 different vessels. This has meant continuous learning. The most significant aspect is that we have managed to integrate a highly complex and innovative operation into the existing one, always prioritizing safety and efficiency. We have optimized processes, improved procedures, coordinated the various stakeholders, and shared information in real time. The foundation has been laid for us to continue making progress next year, striving for excellence and maximizing the reduction of vessel emissions, ensuring that vessels spend most of their time in port connected and with their engines off,” explained Ana Arévalo, head of the Shorepower Department at the Port of Barcelona.
The anniversary of the first connection to BEST’s OPS marks a new milestone in the rollout of the Nexigen Plan, which will electrify the main docks of the Port of Barcelona in the coming years with the aim of improving air quality in the surrounding area. Once the deployment phase of the pilot OPS systems has been completed at BEST and Grimaldi Terminal Barcelona, the ferry terminal at the Sant Bertran dock, work has begun on the construction of the first OPS for cruise ships at the MSC terminal. This includes the construction of the new Port substation and the deployment of a new medium-voltage network that will provide power to all docks where OPS systems will be installed.
