Hamburg port expansion to help it improve air quality

A €76m expansion of shore power supply in a German port has been approved to help it improve air quality.

Hamburg’s state government gave the go-ahead for the Port of Hamburg to offer shore power both for cruise liners and mega-containerships from 2022. With this expansion, Hamburg is playing a pioneering role in the field of alternative power supply during ships’ lay times in port.

Hamburg First Mayor, Peter Tschentscher, said: “Expansion of shore-based power supply units in the port represents a significant and tangible step towards greater climate and environmental protection in Hamburg. Use of regenerative power from these units will totally eliminate existing CO2 and pollutant emissions from vessels during lay times.”

Building capacity

Shore power will be available for containerships at a total of eight connection points located at Burchardkai, Europakai and Predöhlkai.

In addition, availability of shore power will be extended to all existing cruise terminals. A shore-based power supply point will be constructed at HafenCity – CC1 and Steinwerder – CC3.

The first such unit for cruise ships in Europe has been located at Altona Cruise Terminal since 2016.

Mr Tschentscher said that the decision to approve extended shore power would give “shipowners clarity and planning certainty for the essential refitting of their vessels”.

All shore-based supply units will be connected to the power grid, in future supplying vessels with regenerative current that will be converted at a central facility to normal shipboard 6.6 kV voltage and 60 Hz frequency, and fed to the connection points from there.

Completion of the shore-based power units is planned for 2022, with regular operation from 2023.