The first Onshore Power Supply (OPS) system for ferries, developed by VINCI Energies Spain, is now at the Grimaldi terminal on Sant Bertran wharf at the Port of Barcelona. And the countdown to start up the state-of-the-art system by end-January 2025 has started. At that point, ferries docking at the commercial wharf closest to the city will be able to switch off their engines and use renewable energy to power their entire operation, thereby reducing emissions as well as noise.  

VINCI Energies Spain’s latest-generation OPS is already up and running at more than 40 ports in Europe. The one at Barcelona will be assembled in mid-December following delivery of the Cable Management System (CMS) designed specifically to blend into the terminal’s operations and provide the flexibility required to connect the various ferries that call there. 

Spain’s national port authority estimates that an OPS can reduce vessels’ NOx emissions by 96%, SOx by 8%, airborne particles by 94% and CO₂ by 64%. Barcelona’s ferry terminal will have two stands providing efficient and sustainable services.  

Jorge Roca, Business Development Manager for Ports at VINCI Energies Spain, underlines the importance of the project: “This collaboration between VINCI Energies Spain and the Port of Barcelona strengthens our commitment to decarbonising ports in Spain and around the world. We are proud to contribute to reducing shipping emissions in port cities such as Barcelona.” 

Carlos J. Muñoz, Project Manager for Ports at VINCI Energies Spain, adds that the key to reaching this final stage on the project was the outstanding work by VINCI Energies’ various business units and the excellent coordination between them as they worked hand in hand towards this milestone. “Setting up this OPS is a decisive step that will not only solidify the VINCI Energies’ position as a leading supplier of sustainable and pioneering solutions but also bring about considerable benefits for Barcelona, for example improving the quality of the air, reducing CO₂ emissions and reducing noise pollution around the port.”  

The final phase  

The initial phase – civil engineering, laying powerlines and connecting them to the grid – has been completed and the final phase began when the containers reached the Port of Barcelona. 

The CMS due in mid-December was designed and built by Shorelink, and will round out the system, handling the electric connection between the fixed power outlet on land and the inlet on the vessel.  

The OPS has initial capacity of 4 MVA, expandable to 6.5 MVA, and is designed to supply power at voltages of 11 kV or 6.6 kV and frequencies of 50 Hz or 60 Hz, to adapt to ferries’ specific requirements. As the grid’s ratings are 25 kV and 50 Hz, the OPS has power transformers and frequency converters to ensure full compatibility with the vessels that use it.  

VINCI Energies, a specialist in port decarbonisation  

VINCI Energies has been involved in implementing more than 40 OPS systems in Sweden, France, Norway, the United Arab Emirates and other countries around the world, which have significantly improved quality of life in nearby cities by reducing noise levels as well as emissions.  

The one in the Port of Barcelona is one of the OPS systems that VINCI Energies Spain will set up in the country (it has also been awarded contracts to do so in Bilbao and other ports).  

This positions VINCI Energies among the most prominent players in the sector, especially as regards enabling compliance with the European regulation due to take effect on 1 January 2030 and requiring all ships that dock at a Member State port to connect to onshore power supplies and use them to cover all their requirements while berthed.