Port of Barcelona, cruise lines collaborate to expedite shore powerPort of Barcelona, cruise lines collaborate to expedite shore power
The Port of Barcelona and major cruise and terminal operators agreed to create a working group to speed the use of shore power.
September 14, 2022

This will be sourced from clean energy that is certified 100% renewable. The working group will work to align ground infrastructures with fleet availability.
The working group is part of a collaboration agreement signed by the Port of Barcelona, Barcelona Cruise Port, Carnival Corp & plc, Royal Caribbean Group, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Viking and Virgin Voyages to actively collaborate on the electricity supply project for the port's docks.
Signing at Seatrade Cruise Med
This is an 'important step that confirms the commitment of the cruise community to the city of Barcelona and to society as a whole,' said Damià Calvet, president of the Port of Barcelona, in presenting the agreement at Seatrade Cruise Med in Málaga today.
Calvet was accompanied by Javier Rodríguez, GM of Barcelona Cruise Port; Michel Nestour, VP global port and destination development EuroMed, Carnival Corp & plc; Ukko Metsola, VP government relations for Europe and Asia-Pacific, Royal Caribbean Group; Gianluca Suprani, SVP global port development & shore activities, cruise division of MSC Group; Nicolai Skogland, executive director - port operations and government relations, Viking; Juan Trescastro, VP itinerary, destinations and government affairs, Virgin Voyages; Kelly Craighead, president and CEO, Cruise Lines International Association; Marie-Caroline Laurent, director general, CLIA Europe; and Alfredo Serrano, CLIA's national director for Spain.
Significant emissions reduction
The representatives concur on cruising's involvement in the decarbonization of maritime transport and underline connecting ships to the electricity grid in the Port of Barcelona will significantly eliminate emissions. This collaboration between the public and private sectors will make it possible to comply with the European requirements for the availability of electrical connection on shore for ships in 2030.
'Today’s agreement between the port of Barcelona and cruise operators is an important example of how collaboration is accelerating progress towards achieving our ambitious climate targets,' CLIA Europe's Laurent said. 'Equipping our ships to connect to shoreside electricity is sustainable tourism in action for the benefit of the local communities we visit.'
66,000 tons of CO2 will be eliminated
According to Port of Barcelona calculations, the electrification of all the cruise berths, the Prat wharf and the ferry terminals of the Sant Bertran dock and the Costa wharf would eliminate 66,000 tons of CO2 and 1,234 tons of NOx. This means cutting 38% of the NOx and CO2 emitted by ships during their stay at the dock and that 22% of NOx and CO2 emissions from all port activity will be eliminated.
€110m investment
Nexigen, the name given to the project to electrify the Port of Barcelona's docks, requires an investment of €110m and is a key element in achieving the goal of being a climate-neutral port by 2050. The first cruise ships will be connected to the port power grid in 2026.
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Port of Barcelonashore powerCarnival Corp. & plcRoyal Caribbean GroupVikingMSC CruisesVirgin VoyagesCLIA EuropeNorwegian Cruise Line HoldingsAbout the Author
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