Countdown begins for shore power connection of Trasmed ferries in Barcelona
The Port of Barcelona has taken a major step towards sustainability with
the arrival of its first Onshore Power Supply (OPS) system for ferries at the
Grimaldi terminal on Sant Bertran wharf. This milestone marks the beginning of
the final countdown to the system's activation in January. This will enable
ferries of Trasmed (a Spanish operator part of the Grimaldi Group) docking at
the closest commercial wharf to the city to switch off their engines and
operate on 100% renewable electricity supplied by the OPS. This transition will
significantly reduce both emissions and noise pollution.
As part of this transformation, Trasmed has brought back into service its
ferry Ciudad de Palma, which
has been retrofitted to connect to the OPS and run on shore power while moored.
Thanks to this upgrade, provided for in the agreement signed between the
Grimaldi Group and the Port of Barcelona in February 2022, the OPS can support
daily ferry operations, maximizing the reduction of emissions. The vessel retrofit
program will be extended in 2025 to Trasmed’s Ciudad
de Granada, Ciudad de Barcelona, and Ciudad
de Soller, also preparing them for shore power connectivity.
The Grimaldi terminal OPS, developed by VINCI Energies Spain, is the
result of a €3.5 million investment, partially funded by the Sustainable and
Digital Transport Support Program under Spain’s Recovery, Transformation and
Resilience Plan. Designed as a “turnkey” solution, the system will initially
provide 4 MVA of power, expandable to 6.5 MVA, and can adapt voltage and
frequency to meet the specific requirements of each vessel.
The project has already involved significant civil engineering efforts,
such as extending the medium-voltage network to the terminal and installing quayside
OPS connections. The final stage will be completed with the arrival of a
state-of-the-art Cable Management System (CMS). This system, tailored to the
terminal's operations, will allow flexible connections for different ferries
docking there.
The OPS will begin operating in a two-year pilot phase starting in 2025,
enabling the system to be fine-tuned and adapted to the evolving needs of this
groundbreaking initiative as the Port of Barcelona advances toward
decarbonization.
The Grimaldi terminal’s proximity to the city makes the project even
more strategic, as highlighted by Port of Barcelona President José
Alberto Carbonell: “With the
OPS for ferries we will not only make port activity more sustainable, but we
will contribute to improving the quality of the city's air and reducing noise
where we can have the most impact, at the docks closest to the city centre.”
This innovation is a significant step forward for the Grimaldi Group on its journey towards zero-emission operations for all its ferries calling at Barcelona. “Both our Cruise and ECO-class vessels, plying the routes to Italy, have battery systems allowing their engines to be turned off when they are berthed,” pointed out Grimaldi Logistica España CEO Mario Massarotti. “Thanks to this new infrastructure, Trasmed’s ferries, which serve the Balearic Islands market, will also cease to produce emissions in port.”
