Shore power
Shore power is an environmentally friendly and noise-free way of mooring ships. Instead of using diesel generators, ships can connect to the electricity grid available at the wharf. This reduces emissions and therefore helps make ports greener. Numerous connection points are already available for barges and tugboats. Port of Antwerp-Bruges is committed to also providing shore power for the largest container ships by 2028.
Impact on local air quality
Shore power allows ships, when berthed, to turn off their ship's engines and switch to local power. Using shore power reduces emissions of CO₂, nitrogen and sulfur oxides and particulate matter, improves local air quality and reduces environmental noise. Port of Antwerp-Bruges offers renewable electricity and hereby maximises the CO₂ emission reduction of connecting to shore power.
Shore power for barges
There is a uniform shore power system for inland navigation in Flanders. On the website of the Flemish Inland Shipping Services platform you will find an overview of the network of shore-based power facilities in Flanders and you can read how to make use of those facilities.
Port of Antwerp-Bruges and the City of Antwerp offer skippers a large number of connection points to shore power in Antwerp. This network allows bargemasters to use electricity via the shore while the vessels are berthed at the waiting dock. We currently have three shore power sites under our management.
Where can you find our shore power distribution boxes in Antwerp?
You can find our shore power distribution boxes at the locations listed below:
Waiting dock for barges at the Noordkasteel Dock
- 9 distribution boxes (max. 40A) for barges at Quay 75
- 2 distribution boxes (max. 125A) for tankers at Quay 85-87
Layby berths Canal Dock B2
- 14 distribution boxes with 3 connection points (2 max. 63A + 1 max. 32A) at Quay 780
The shore power locations at the Kattendijk Dock-Oostkaai, the Kattendijk Dock-Westkaai, the Asia Dock and the Willem Dock are managed by the City of Antwerp.
How does it work?
Connect4Shore allows you to quickly and easily connect to the shore power network.
Rates
You can purchase shore power at a rate of €0.27 per kWh.
Shore power for own fleet
Our own vessels all use shore power when moored in Port of Antwerp-Bruges. This is possible at the NOC (K602), at the Zandvliet and Berendrecht locks, at the Boudewijn and van Cauwelaert locks and at the Kieldrecht lock.
This involves a fleet of 32 vessels, consisting of tugs, dredgers and support vessels, which therefore use 1.5 GWh of shore power annually, thereby preventing 1,500 tons of CO₂ and 9 tons of NOx emissions.
Support for shore power
The expansion of the shore power installations in Antwerp was made possible with the support of the TEN-T project “Shore Power in Flanders” and of the BENEFIC project, which forms part of the EU's “Connecting Europe Facility”, funded by the European Commission.
Zeebrugge
In Zeebrugge, the paper producer Stora Enso and the naval base already supply their ships with shore power. Shore power is also provided at the waiting quay for the tugboats of Boluda Towage Europe.
Shore power can play a role in the sustainable transition of our port platform. That is why the development of shore power is a strategic priority for the coming years.
Jacques Vandermeiren,CEO Port of Antwerp-Bruges
Shore power for container ships by 2028
At the present time, very few terminals in Europe provide working shore power installations for deep-sea container shipping. Implementing this is complex and there are still various hurdles to overcome. For example, besides a clear regulatory framework, investments are needed that are unrealisable without public support.
What is more, only a limited number of container ships are currently equipped with shore power facilities. Together with the ports of Bremen, Hamburg, Haropa and Rotterdam, Port of Antwerp-Bruges is committed to providing shore power for the largest container ships by 2028.
Contact our experts
Any questions
Don't hesitate to contact us.
