Land-based power for Grimaldi terminal
Port of Barcelona improving its power supply. An onshore power systems at Grimaldi’s ferry terminal in the Catalan port of Barcelona (Spain) has arrived. The countdown to the connection of the first ferries next January has thus begun at the shipping terminal closest to the city.
More than two years ago the Spanish port of Barcelona signed an agreement to develop a so-called ‘onshore power system’ (OPS) with the shipping line Grimaldi. The ferry operator has also adapted its ships that dock at the terminal to ensure compatibility with the system.
Electricity from renewable energies from 2025 onwards
The first OPS is now in place on the port’s San Bertrán quay. With this facility the countdown to the commissioning of the system in January 2025 has now begun. Ferries docking at the commercial quay nearest to the city will then be able to switch off their engines in the docks and power their systems with electricity generated from 100% renewable energy, thus greatly reducing CO2 emissions and noise.
The OPS was developed by Vinci Energies Spain, which has international experience with the same OPS system as the one planned in Barcelona and was awarded the contract for the turnkey installation of the system.
The systems will supply two ferry docks in the terminal and provide an initial output of around 4 megavolt amperes (MVA), which can be expanded up to approximately 6.5 MVA. The system is also designed to be able to adjust the voltage as well as the frequency to suit the needs of each ship at the quay.
The installation was preceded by civil engineering work to connect the power grid to the terminal and to lay the OPS connections directly to the quay. The installation with a cable management system was completed in December. It was specially developed for operation at the terminal and offers a great degree of flexibility to connect the various ferries.
Adapted for ferries to improve air quality for the city
At the same time as the new system was installed, the Grimaldi Group put its Ciudad de Palma ferry back into service. It has been adapted to connect to the OPS and turn off its engines whilst moored in the port of Barcelona. These measures are based on an agreement signed between Grimaldi and the port of Barcelona in 2022.
José Alberto Carbonell, the president of the port of Barcelona, underlined the importance of the new OPS now installed at Grimaldi’s terminal in the gateway, pointing out the latter facility’s proximity to the inner city of Barcelona. “With this OPS for ferries we’ll make shipping activities in the gateway more sustainable, improve air quality in the city and reduce noise at the docks located closest to the city centre.”
Serving the market in the Balearic Islands
Mario Massarotti, the chief executive officer of Grimaldi Lines in Spain, added that “this move brings us another step closer to zero-emissions operations for all of our ferries that call at Barcelona. Thanks to this new infrastructure the ferries operated by Trasmed, the group’s company that serves the market in the Balearic Islands, will also no longer generate any emissions in the port.”