Less noise and emissions. This is the goal behind three new electricity supply stations for ships at the port of Alicante. The project, funded by the European Union with an investment of 1.2 million euros, introduces Onshore Power Supply OPS connections that let cargo ships keep their internal combustion engines off while docked. The result is cleaner air, quieter mornings, and steadier operations around the docks.
In a world moving toward decarbonisation and under European rules aimed at a greener economy, electrification and smart tech adoption are essential for the long term sustainability, efficiency, and competitiveness of the port system.
The Alicante Port Authority highlights the rollout of OPS stations that can power three ships at once. These facilities enable vessels to disconnect auxiliary engines that typically burn fossil fuels, bolstering environmental performance and operational resilience.
The stations are installed at piers 13, 15 and 17. As the port explains, OPS is a practical tool for improving air quality by switching to electrical energy drawn from the national grid. This energy has a much lower emission footprint per megawatt hour than conventional auxiliary engines, turning ships into mobile electrical generators while at berth.
The energy supply contract held by the Alicante Port Authority includes guarantees of origin. This means the electricity used at the port is sourced from renewable origins. By replacing fuel-based power with clean grid energy, particle and gas emissions drop and noise and vibration from engine idling are significantly reduced.
Alicante also completed the first phase of interport electricity connections that link central dock berths to ships with medium and low voltage installations. Through the OPS system in this area, about 95 percent of the total electricity needs of ships operating in these docks are met.
Compatibility
President Luis Rodríguez underlines that these facilities are central to environmental sustainability, especially in a compact coastal port like Alicante. He notes that the new phase aims to balance the site use for tourism, recreation, sports, industrial growth, and higher commercial cargo flows. Such balance would be hard to achieve without OPS, which aligns with the European Green Deal and a roadmap focused on a smart, green, innovative, interconnected, and competitive port.
The project received EU funding through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, part of Next Generation Europe. The initiative is intended to enhance environmental sustainability and improve port accessibility by rail where feasible.