The Scottish ports group intends to run another hydrogen-fuelled power generation project in its harbour to supply electricity to berthed vessels
British group Forth Ports has secured funding and approval under a UK government-backed demonstration programme to start another trial generating hydrogen from renewable resources in a UK harbour to feed power to berthed tugs.
Tugs from its subsidiary Targe Towing will be used in the pilot project to demonstrate the feasibility of supplying clean power to port vessels over the long term. The trial will be carried out under a Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC6) project with support from the UK Department for Transport.
Forth Ports and Targe Towing will partner with Logan Energy and PlusZero in this project to advance green hydrogen production for shore power and vessel refuelling at the Port of Leith, near Edinburgh, Scotland.
In Q1 2025, Forth Ports, Waterwhelm, Logan Energy and PlusZero demonstrated technology using wastewater and renewable energy to produce hydrogen that was then pushed through a generator for electricity, which was cabled to a berthed Targe tug in Leith.
“Targe Towing is once again at the forefront of maritime innovation, joining Forth Ports as partners in the CMDC6 project,” said Targe Towing commercial director Alasdair Smith.
“Building on the success of our hydrogen shore power demonstrator at the Port of Leith [in Q1 2025], this next phase will push boundaries even further,” he said in a social media post. “We will be exploring hydrogen refuelling for vessels and new ways to eliminate diesel emissions in port operations.”
