Ro-ro and logistics group Grimaldi has implemented a project to upgrade its huge Antwerp terminal, Europe’s largest multipurpose shipping complex, with shore power connections for docked vessels.

The scheme complements the sustainability strategy expressed in the Italian company’s fleet, whereby nine are already fitted for ‘cold ironing’ in addition to the 16 ships currently in operation plus 12 under construction specified with battery packs. By 2026, when the Antwerp installation is due to be ready, Grimaldi plans to have 38 vessels incorporating alternative marine power (AMP) equipment, allowing link-up to the shoreside grid.

Constituting the first such facilities in Belgium for deep-sea shipping, the investment will initially provide two fixed shore power connections with a total 5MW capacity at Antwerp Euroterminal (AET), primarily for Grimaldi’s latest ro-ro and con-ro tonnage. By allowing ships’ generators to be shut down while alongside, greenhouse gas (GHG) and noxious emissions will be curtailed and noise reduced.