Ecological Transition
One of the great challenges for maritime transport is electrifying ports in order to improve energy and environmental efficiency. It is essential for the sustainability of these facilities that they operate as "green ports," taking into account not only economic, but also environmental and social considerations.
Green ports strive to minimise their environmental impact through measures to improve and control air, water, noise and waste quality, as well as reducing emissions. One of the key benefits of green ports is their ability to provide power to ships from land-based energy sources, including renewable energy facilities and energy efficiency measures.
With the current state of the economy, and an increasing focus on sustainability, these new ports are being presented as a good solution in the maritime transport sector.
How does one achieve green port status?
The primary goal of this is to continue reducing emissions and greenhouse gases to zero. To this end, both European international legislation and Spanish legislation have adopted various measures, of which the following are worth highlighting:
MARPOL regulations on waste collection
These contain prohibitions on dumping waste at sea and requirements for its disposal.
MARPOL regulations on waste collection
These contain prohibitions on dumping waste at sea and requirements for its disposal.
MARPOL regulations on waste collection
These contain prohibitions on dumping waste at sea and requirements for its disposal.
Ports Act
Requires all Spanish terminals to prepare sustainability reports and submit them to Puertos del Estado.
Ports Act
Requires all Spanish terminals to prepare sustainability reports and submit them to Puertos del Estado.
Ports Act
Requires all Spanish terminals to prepare sustainability reports and submit them to Puertos del Estado.
Use of OPS systems
Establish infrastructures to enable the supply of electricity to ships from shore.
Use of OPS systems
Establish infrastructures to enable the supply of electricity to ships from shore.
Use of OPS systems
Establish infrastructures to enable the supply of electricity to ships from shore.
Green ports in Spain
Ports in Spain are undergoing a process of modernisation in order to improve their competitiveness, efficiency, and sustainability. Puertos del Estado is expecting a public investment of 4,750 million in projects for the period 2021-2025, with the goal of electrifying all of the country's ports and having the main port operators ISO 14001 certified by 2030. ISO 14001 is the most recognised and internationally used standard for implementing an environmental management system. Ports such as Valencia, Vigo and Castellón already have this accreditation.
“The goal is for all Spanish ports to be electrified by 2030”.
It is also important to highlight the willingness of the Spanish private sector to invest, and this is where Endesa comes in. Our company is already working with various port authorities to promote innovative and sustainable projects with the aim of maintaining the Iberian Peninsula's leading position in maritime logistics.
Endesa's projects
As the only private company developing OPS infrastructure, we are uniquely positioned to provide ships with renewable electricity during their container handling operations.
Our project is to transfer the action protocol we are already working on with the Seville Port Authority (APS) to the rest of the Andalusian ports. As our Director General for Andalusia, Extremadura, Ceuta and Melilla, Rafael Sánchez Durán, explains, “this requires working with the cities and the ports to plan the electrification of the port facilities and to replace fossil fuels and coal with renewable energies”.
We are also working with Endesa X to make the Port of Cadiz the first port in Spain to offer electricity to cruise ships. Our subsidiary has already applied to the Port Authority of the Bay of Cadiz for the concession to install and operate the first OPS facility at the Alfonso quay XIII.
“The idea is to further promote decarbonisation. We want to help ports to electrify so that ships can be connected to the electricity grid when they arrive in port, instead of emitting CO2 and consuming diesel,” explains Álvaro Otaolaurruchi, B2B director at Endesa X.
“We want to help ports to electrify themselves to further decarbonisation”.
– Álvaro Otaolaurruchi, B2B Director at Endesa X.
With this OPS project in Cadiz, based on the electrical connection to land with renewable energy sources, "we can offer an annual saving of 25,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions with intensive use of each OPS connection point", as Álvaro Castilla, our commercial manager for port terminals, explains.
We are also developing another project to convert the port terminal in Los Barrios to supply ships with LNG from renewable gases.
“The OPS project in the Port of Cadiz will allow us to save 25,000 tonnes of CO2emissions per year”.
– Álvaro Castilla, the commercial manager for port terminals at Endesa.
The electrification of seaports is a key part of our transition to renewable energy. As the commercial manager of port terminals, "we are committed to ensuring that the domestic and industrial sectors are supplied with 100% renewable energies, as well as facilitating the path to decarbonisation of transport".
