The Port of Klaipėda is moving ahead with a major environmental upgrade by introducing shore power supply systems that will
The Port of Klaipėda is moving ahead with a major environmental upgrade by introducing shore power supply systems that will allow ships to switch off their engines while docked.
This is intended to reduce air pollution and noise in the port area. Testing of the newly installed equipment has already begun at two terminals, the Central Klaipėda Terminal and the Klaipėda Container Terminal. Once fully operational, the system will allow up to four vessels at a time, mainly ferries on international passenger and cargo routes, to plug into shore electricity instead of running their onboard diesel engines.
This shift is expected to significantly cut emissions while ships are at berth and improve environmental conditions for the city of Klaipėda.
The project is part of a broader quay electrification program and is supported by the European Commission’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Transport program. The total investment is around €10 million, with approximately €8.6 million coming from EU funding.
A separate shore power unit has already been installed at the port’s Fleet Base for smaller electric and hydrogen-powered vessels.
Further expansion is planned over the coming years, including additional shore power systems for cruise and container ships. The second phase of the electrification project is already in the design stage and is expected to be completed by 2030, reinforcing the port’s long-term goal of reducing its environmental footprint and modernizing operations.
To remind, in June 2023, the European Union Council adopted the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR). Among its key provisions, the regulation requires maritime ports to supply shore-side electricity to vessels by 2030, reducing the need for ships to run engines while docked and thereby cutting emissions.
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