The Port of Barcelona plans to connect the first cruise ships to the electrical grid during their stays at the docks of the Catalan capital in 2026 and, almost entirely, by 2030. The initiative is based on a broader project: Nexigen, aimed at the electrification of the Port of Barcelona's docks, and which requires an investment of 110 million euros. The port has planned it as a key piece to be a climate-neutral infrastructure by 2050.
To streamline energy supply and ensure it is 100% renewable, the Port of Barcelona and cruise operators will create a working group to align land infrastructures with fleet availability and complete the project as soon as possible. In fact, some pilot tests are already underway.
This collaboration between the public and private sectors will allow compliance with European requirements for shore power availability for all ships by 2030 and will contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions. According to calculations by the Port of Barcelona, the electrification of all cruise ship berths, the Prat dock, and the ferry terminals of the Sant Bertran basin and the Costa dock will mean the elimination of 66,000 tons of CO2 and 1,234 tons of NOx from port activity emissions. That is, 38% of NOx and CO2 emitted by ships during their stay at the dock will be reduced, and 22% of NOx and CO2 emissions from all port activity will be eliminated.
The creation of this working group is part of a collaboration agreement signed by the Port de Barcelona, Creuers del Port de Barcelona, Carnival Corp & PLC ---representing the brands Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises (Australia), P&O Cruises (UK), Seabourn and Cunard---, Royal Caribbean Group, MSC Cruises, NCL Holding LTD, Viking Cruises and Virgin Voyages. The formalization of this initiative took place this week, coinciding with the Seatrade Cruise Med 2022 fair, held in Malaga.
Regarding the agreement, Damià Calvet, president of the Port de Barcelona, highlighted that it is "an important step that confirms the commitment of the cruise community to the city of Barcelona and to society as a whole."
An idea subscribed to by all shipping companies, as recognized by Marie-Caroline Laurent, Director General of CLIA Europe. This directive, representing the sector, assured that "this agreement between the Port of Barcelona and the shipping companies is an important example of how collaboration is accelerating with the aim of achieving the ambitious climate goals set. Equipping our ships with systems that allow connection to the electricity grid on land is a case of responsible tourism for the benefit of the local communities we visit."