Antwerp expands supply of shore power for ships

The city of Antwerp will provide shore power for river cruise ships mooring at the Scheldt quays. There will also be additional shore power facilities for barges in the Antwerp city port at the Eilandje district.

Shore power is an environmentally friendly and noise-free way of supplying ships with electricity while they are moored. Instead of using their own diesel generators, ships can connect to the electricity grid available at the wharf. This reduces harmful emissions and reduces noise pollution in the neighbourhood.

The city already provides shore power for houseboats at the Hout dock and for river cruise ships at the Kattendijk dock, but the supply is now being greatly expanded. The city has concluded a contract with a private firm for the installation and maintenance of 24 shore power cabinets that will be installed at the docks of the Eilandje and at the Scheldt quays near the Steen fortress.

In the Antwerp city port, new shore power distribution boxes will be installed at the Willem dock, the Kattendijk dock, the Asia dock and the Hout dock.

The installation of all the cabinets will take several years. The shore power cabinets at the Scheldt quays will be extra powerful, to serve river cruise ships.

“The city of Antwerp, the tourism sector, shipping companies and passengers all have a common demand for sustainable forms of tourism,” said Antwerp city councillor Koen Kennis. “With the installation of additional shore power facilities, we are meeting this demand.”

^{#FlandersNewsService | The Kattendijk dock basin in Antwerp © PHOTO MAISANT LUDOVIC / HEMIS VIA AFP}