BARCELONA – The Port of Barcelona, the sixth largest in the world by passenger traffic and the largest in Europe, is taking steps to meet an important demand from the latest generation of cruise ships.
Cruise ships in the Port of Barcelona
To supply ships with renewable energy, the port has begun the tender process for the construction of an electrical substation to electrify its quays. This project, with a budget of €14 million, is expected to be completed in 2025.
Nexigen project
This initiative is one of the first steps in the Nexigen project, in which €130 million will be invested. The project includes the electrification of the following areas;
- all cruise ships berths
- the Prat Quay
- ferry terminals in the Sant Bertran basin and the Costa Quay
Less environmental and noise nuisance
By enabling vessels to connect to the Onshore Power Supply (OPS) system, they can switch off their auxiliary engines. This will lead to a reduction in environmental and noise pollution. It is estimated that this will eliminate around 66,000 tons of CO₂ and 1,234 tons of NOx from the emissions from port activities by 2030.
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