Memorandum of Understanding on OPS to be signed at the BPC 2016

The Baltic Ports Conference 2016 participants will be witness to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding concerning on-shore power supply (OPS). The procedure will take place at the second day of the event, during the 'Baltic Sea as a model region for clean ports and shipping' session.

Four ports, one goal

The Memorandum is a result of the collective desire of the Ports of Helsinki, Stockholm, Tallinn and Turku to set a common approach for the new on-shore power supply. The Ports aim to:
— provide new built connections with a voltage of 11 kV and a frequency of 50 Hz
— encourage other ports and shipping companies to follow the initiative and recommendations concerning onshore power supply
— minimize the negative effects on the environment of port operations and shipping in the Baltic Sea

Background

The passenger ferry quays in Helsinki, Stockholm, Tallinn and Turku are located close to the city centres. The areas are of high value for real estate projects, which are being developed closer and closer to the ports. The combination of noise, vibration and other ship emissions (CO2, NOx, PM) can have a negative effect on existing and future living and working areas. One option to reduce or even to eliminate all the negative effects is to connect ferries to the on-shore electricity grid while berthed.

Cooperation agreements between the four ports have already been signed in the period between 2009-2014. Electricity connections for vessels and a unified technical format of the facilities were some of the initiatives the ports agreed to work on together.

The European Union has recognised these issues and has implemented the directive for alternative fuel infrastructure (DAFI, September 2015) which will make shore connections in TEN-T ports mandatory under certain circumstances by 2025 at the latest.

There is a worldwide standard for onshore power supply developed and described in IEC/ISO/IEEE 80005-1 to 3.