Kristiansand: first Norwegian port to offer shore power for cruise ships

Located in the heart of the city of Kritsiansand, the high voltage (up to 16 MT) shore connection is based on IEC8005-1 standard and delivered by Danish company Power Con, Granfeldt told Seatrade Cruise News.

'The facility is set to be ready by mid-August and as a special introductory offer for the 2018 cruise season we will offer greatly reduced prices,' commented Granfeldt.

He noted, financing came through the EU's Project Horizon 2020 providing around €80bn of innovation funding between 2014 to 2020.

Situated between Oslo and Bergen, Kristiansand has experienced strong growth in the cruise market in recent years, welcoming 50 calls last year and is expecting 62 this year bringing around 110,000 passengers.

New cruise berth accommodating any size ship

Last year, a new cruise berth opened at Lagmannsholmen quay allowing the port to welcome ships up to Oasis class. It also has grey water reception facilities - one of three cruise ports in Norway, according to the coo.

The shore power facility will be a mobile unit which could be switched to one of the port's other two berths, if required.

'We are excited to be able to offer clean shore power and know this has huge interest in northern Europe,' said Granfeldt, who is also the new chairman of Cruise Norway.

Located in southern Norway and opposite Denmark's northern shores, Kristiansand promotes itself as a port of call to, 'add another country to the Baltic'.