Denmark’s first shore power facility for cruise ships has been inaugurated at the cruise quay of the Port of Aarhus.
The ceremony took place with the arrival of Aida Cruises‘ AIDAMar on 20 June, which was connected to the shore power facility.
The new facility enables cruise ships docked in Aarhus to switch off their diesel engines and receive green electricity directly from Danish wind turbines.
This reduces noise and pollution from the emitting diesel engines, which, according to Port of Aarhus COO Anne Zachariassen, is “an important step” in the port’s sustainability mission.
“We are proud to be the first Danish port to offer cruise ships green electricity directly from wind turbines when they are docked. It is a very important step towards green transition,” said Zachariassen.
“There is significant interest from the cruise companies in making their ships capable of receiving shore power. We already see that all the ships that can use shore power are willing to do so. I am convinced that the possibility of connecting to shore power will become an even more important parameter for the companies in the future.”
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By GlobalDataThe Port of Aarhus says it is experiencing an increasing volume of cruise traffic. Manuel Pannzek, captain of the AIDAMar, said he is “pleased” that the Port of Aarhus is now the fourth port in Europe where AIDA Cruises can connect its cruise ships to green power.
“It is a fantastic step in the right direction. Globally, there are only about 30 ports in the world that can provide shore power to cruise ships of this size,” said Pannzek.
A cruise ship like AIDAMar typically stays at the dock in Aarhus for 8 to 10 hours before sailing out into the world, which makes green power a great advantage, according to Pannzek.
“We spend a significant number of hours in port every day, and when we have the opportunity to supply our ship with green power from the shore and turn off our engines, it is a great benefit for the environment,” he said.
“I am confident that shore power is the way forward for the cruise industry, and I hope that other ports will establish shore power as the Port of Aarhus has done.”
The new facility was financed in collaboration with Aarhus Municipality and EU funding.