North Sea Port is taking the next steps in providing shore-side power for inland shipping with the addition of two new shore-based power units in Ghent.
North Sea Port consists of the ports of Vlissingen and Terneuzen in The Netherlands and Ghent in Belgium. Shore-side power is now available in Terneuzen and Ghent, which is to improve air quality in the ports.
Shore-based Power in Ghent
The shore-based power units for inland waterway vessels are a first for Ghent. Two units have been installed at the Sifferdok’s inlet dock, and each charging point has four sockets that vessels can plug into. These shore-based power units were officially commissioned on Friday 1 March.
More Units for Terneuzen
A further two shore-based power units will be installed in Terneuzen in March, at the recently renovated Beurtvaartkade. One will serve inland waterway vessels, and the other can also be used by river cruise ships. This means that by the end of the spring, North Sea Port will have a total of 23 shore-based power units offering a total of eighty connection points.
Inland waterway vessels can use North Sea Port's shore-side power from all the units between Terneuzen and Ghent by registering on the Parkline website. This website also shows where the shore-based power units are located.
100% Renewable
The shore-side power available in Ghent and Terneuzen is 100% renewable. The feasibility of providing shore-side power in Vlissingen in the future is currently being investigated.
Fewer Emissions and Less Noise
The shore-side power units allow inland waterway vessels to shut down their diesel engines and to take electricity from the shore instead. This improves air quality in the port and the surrounding areas by reducing CO2 and particulate matter emissions and reduces noise.
European Grants
North Sea Port invested a total of 480,000 euros in the two shore-based power units in Ghent and the two in Terneuzen. For the units in Ghent, North Sea Port received European grants as part of the LIFE Clean Inland Shipping project (CLINSH).
Picture by North Sea Port.
