UK maritime sector charts course for decarbonization

Portsmouth Harbour, on the south coast of England, has a history deeply intertwined with the UK’s past as a seafaring nation – an identity it carries to this day.

And thanks to government programs designed to reduce emissions, in which ABB technology will play a key role, Portsmouth International Port, located within the harbour, is pivoting to a low-carbon future.

Our shore connection systems have been installed at the port to allow ferries and cruise ships to be powered from the grid while berthed, rather than running from their own diesel-powered generators. It's estimated that up to 20,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions will be avoided locally from 2027¹, thanks to shore charging, significantly improving air quality in the harbor area and helping the port meet its own climate goals.

Our solution comprises:

•  A 16-MVA ACS6080 static frequency converter with shunt filter
• Medium-voltage switchgear
• Power-factor compensation
• Transformers
• E-houses, cable management systems, and automation  

The installation is part of the port’s Sea Change project², which falls under the UK’s Zero Emissions Vessels and Infrastructure competition (ZEVI). This aligns with broader UK goals to decarbonize the country’s domestic maritime sector³. It will serve two ferry berths – each with five connection points – and an additional berth shared by ferries and cruise ships.

Powering up Brittany Ferries in Portsmouth International Port

Brittany ferries, the largest customer of Portsmouth International Port, has already started using shore charging for its new hybrid-powered St-Malo and Guillaume de Normandie ferries.

They connect Portsmouth and the French ports of Caen and St Malo, running on liquified natural gas (LNG) at sea, and electrical power when manoeuvring and in port.

The ferries are currently the world’s largest dual-fuel LNG-hybrid vessels in operation, with an 11.5MWh battery hybrid system on board.

The installation is part of the port’s Sea Change project², which falls under the UK’s Zero Emissions Vessels and Infrastructure competition (ZEVI). This aligns with broader UK goals to decarbonize the country’s domestic maritime sector³. It will serve two ferry berths – each with five connection points – and an additional berth shared by ferries and cruise ships.

Ferry propulsion solutions for one of Europe’s busiest shipping lanes 

Two hundred kilometers east of Portsmouth, our technology is equipping the world’s two largest double-ended ferries in Europe’s busiest short crossing lane.

Operator P&O’s Fusion-class ferries, Pioneer and Liberté, have been transporting passengers and vehicles between Dover in the UK and Calais in France since mid-2023, both equipped with our hybrid power and Azipod® propulsion systems.

Did you know…

…that the Azipod® electric propulsion system can turn 360°, allowing ships far greater maneuverability?

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The ferries have one of the highest power Energy Storage Systems (ESS) installed to date, enabling up to 16MW of power to be delivered from the batteries alone. These are recharged by diesel generators during Channel crossings – a hybrid solution that consumes 40 percent less fuel than the existing ships on the route. 

In Dover and Calais, battery power can be used to achieve emissions-free manoeuvring, a key environmental benefit for local residents, passengers and crew.

The Azipod® propulsion technology fitted to the ferries comprises four 7.5MW units – two installed at either end of the vessel. Already shown to cut fuel consumption by 20 percent compared to traditional shaftline propulsion, Azipod® units can be powered by any future combination of onboard energy supply.

The ferries’ double-ended design, with a bridge at each end, means that they do not need to turn in port. Bridge staff simply walk to the opposite bridge, saving seven minutes on each outbound and return journey and one ton of fuel – a sixth of the fuel used on the 21-mile crossing.

Several other of our key marine technologies have been fitted to the ferries:

• Power and Energy Management System (PEMS™), to ensure optimal use of power resources by improving onboard information flow.

• ABB Ability™ Marine Pilot Control, our intelligent manoeuvring and control system, enables safer, more efficient operations by automating some navigational tasks to allow bridge officers to focus on optimizing overall ship control and positioning.

• Onboard infrastructure for shore-based charging, once port facilities become available.

The combination of technologies is setting new standards in cross-Channel ferry sustainability.

Sources:
1. & 2. Sea Change
3. Maritime decarbonization strategy

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