The Port of Barcelona has awarded the pilot project to provide electrical power to ships at the BEST terminal to the Danish engineering and manufacturing company PowerCon for approximately €5 million (US$4.8 million).
The two partners have started building the pilot project, which is part of Phase Zero of the Wharf Electrification Plan developed by the Spanish port and includes the drafting and performance of the project as well as the ships’ connection and disconnection service and the maintenance of the installation.
Ana Arévalo, energy transition manager of Port of Barcelona, commented, “We hope to have the construction project approved in six months, at most, so that we can start the building work.”
The Wharf Electrification Plan is among the key projects promoted by the Port of Barcelona to halve CO2 emissions from port operations by 2030 and become a carbon neutral port by 2050. This plan, known as Nexigen, will make it possible to connect ships to the general electricity grid while they are berthed, using clean energy that is generated at the Spanish port itself or that is certified 100% renewable.
Nexigen plan is expected to cost an overall investment of nearly €110 million (US$106 million).
