The Port of Barcelona inaugurated its first Onshore Power Supply system at the Hutchison Ports BEST container terminal. This pioneering equipment, the first of its kind in a Mediterranean port container terminal, enables ships to receive 100 percent renewable-origin electricity, allowing them to turn off their engines while docked, thus significantly reducing emissions.

The OPS marked the initial deployment under the €200 million Nexigen plan, aimed at electrifying all wharves at the Port of Barcelona to cut emissions from port activities. As a pilot project, it will provide critical insights into the needs of this innovative service, helping the Port’s customers move towards greater sustainability and decarbonisation.

The opening ceremony saw attendance from key figures including president of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Pere Aragonès; regional minister for territory, Esther Capella; secretary general of air and maritime transport, Benito Núñez; Mayor of El Prat del Llobregat, Lluís Mijoler; First deputy mayor of Barcelona, Laia Bonet; president of Puertos del Estado, Álvaro Rodríguez Dapena; and Port of Barcelona president, Lluís Salvadó. Clemence Cheng, managing director at Hutchison Port Holdings Europe, and Guillermo Belcastro, CEO of Hutchison Ports BEST, were also present.

Pere Aragonès highlighted the OPS as a critical project for Catalonia’s future, emphasising its role in demonstrating the region’s leadership in Europe and the Mediterranean. Laia Bonet reiterated Barcelona’s commitment to becoming carbon-neutral by 2030, noting the importance of collective efforts to reduce emissions.

Clemence Cheng pointed out the OPS as a significant advancement towards Hutchison Ports BEST’s goal of reducing its carbon footprint by 80 percent by 2030 and achieving emissions-neutral operations by 2040. He noted that BEST had already achieved a 57 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2022.

Lluís Salvadó underscored the OPS as a testament to the Port of Barcelona’s commitment to decarbonising port activities and enhancing air quality, describing it as a significant step forward under the Nexigen plan towards a more sustainable future.

Installed alongside terminal enlargement works, the OPS required the construction of a new 3,000-volt medium-voltage network, spanning 3,000 metres of cable to the wharfside. Three connection boxes, designed to be compatible with terminal operations, were installed, allowing two vessels to connect simultaneously with up to 8MW of power. Manufactured by PowerCon in Denmark, the system adapts the electrical current from the 25,000 volts received from the grid to the 6,600 volts needed by container ships, modulating its frequency as required.

The OPS system aims to make approximately 92 connections in its first two years of operation, eliminating around 2,500 tonnes of CO2 annually—the equivalent of 135,000 cars driving 30 kilometres daily. The number of annual connections and emissions reductions is expected to increase progressively from the third year onwards.

The BEST OPS, costing nearly €5 million, was partially funded through the Sustainable and Digital Transport Support Programme under the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. It is the first in a series of installations planned over the next five years to electrify the Port of Barcelona’s main wharves. This rollout will include constructing a new electrical substation and a medium-voltage network, including an underwater pipeline to connect the Energy Wharf and Adossat Wharf, enabling the electrification of cruise terminals.

The electrification of wharves at the Port of Barcelona aims to enhance air quality and is a key component of the Port’s energy transition plan, supporting the decarbonisation of port activities.