A new container structure has emerged at Barcelona's Grimaldi ferry terminal. In it, silently, "magic happens" and the voltage and frequency of the electrical grid are transformed into what a ship requires. Underground, so as not to hinder the hustle and bustle of the terminal, thick cables are deployed until they reach a machine that allows them to be raised to connect them to the ship's socket, as explained by the head of the Shore Power department of the Port of Barcelona, Ana Arévalo.
The machine, called Cable Management System (CMS) and manufactured in Estonia by Shore Link, moves stealthily until it begins to lift the heavy cable, which an operator grabs from the ship to bring it closer to the connection. It is a gesture that from now on will be habitual and daily, but which was performed for the first time this Monday at the Barcelona terminal. The operation developed normally, were it not for the hundred authorities and professionals from the sector who witnessed the moment without taking their eyes off the end of the cable and waiting for it to come into contact with the ship's network. Like someone waiting for the enxaneta to crown a castell, the moment of connection drew applause from those present, in what was the premiere of a ferry's connection to the electrical grid in Barcelona.
This connection, through a system known as Onshore Power Supply (OPS) and in this case developed by Vinci Energies Spain in France, has allowed for the first time a ferry docked in the Catalan capital to turn off its engines and, therefore, remain operational without burning fuel and without further polluting Barcelona's air. The connection of the ferries, which dock near Drassanes, has been the second piece within the port's strategy to electrify its docks, after the OPS of the Best container terminal began operating in July.
This first ferry that has been plugged into the electrical grid in Barcelona, which will connect the city with Palma de Mallorca, has been another step towards saving more than 2,000 tons of annual CO2 emissions from ships docked in the port. Now, the system will enter a pilot phase to collect data and experience to continue extending this type of electrical supply, just as it happens with the OPS of the Best terminal. In parallel, progress is being made in the construction of a new electrical substation from which a new medium voltage network will be deployed throughout the port area, which will include an underwater pipeline to the Energy and Adosado Docks, an essential step to electrify the cruise terminals.
Thus, this first connection has represented a "turning point" in the electrification plans of the infrastructure, as highlighted by the president of the port, José Alberto Carbonell. As he recalled, the strategy to electrify it was accelerated in 2022 with the definition of the Nexigen plan. With this first ferry connected, the first phase of the plan is completed, with a final goal: to reach 2030 with OPS in all cruise, ferry, and container terminals of the port.
With a global investment of about 200 million euros, this electrification of the docks is key to the port's strategy. The fact is that emissions from ships docked in the port represent 47% of those emitted from the infrastructure: "If we want to decarbonize the economy of the Port of Barcelona, we must prioritize attacking this 47%," Carbonell emphasized.
"The objective we pursue is to have a carbon-neutral port," stressed the Minister of Territory, Sílvia Paneque. "We want to show the world that large infrastructures are possible in terms of sustainability and the preservation of our environments," she added.
With this objective, the minister has defended that the Catalan capital's port is on the path to "consolidating itself not only as a leading port in the field of energy transition, but also as a green energy production and distribution hub", with projects such as the construction of three new berths for green fuels at the Energy Dock, with 124 million euros. On this path, Puertos del Estado guarantees a "firm commitment to sustainability and innovation", according to the director of Operations of the state company, Pedro García, who has applauded the "leadership role" of the Port of Barcelona.
And it is that "OPS already exist in other ports, but with such a global vision in a port as diversified as ours, it is the first European experience", Carbonell claimed. As the CEO of Grimaldi Logistica España, Mario Massarotti, added, to move in this direction it is crucial that all actors look in the same direction: "Barcelona is an example of how public-private collaboration has positively yielded its fruits."
Massarotti, who highlighted that Grimaldi has invested more than 1,000 million euros in 15 years in its connections from Barcelona by sea, stressed that they work to reduce emissions from both their ships and their land facilities, which is why they also bet on setting up facilities such as photovoltaic plants. All of this, with a purpose that aims to be achieved hand in hand with the entire port community, to advance towards a sustainable and carbon-neutral infrastructure.