Name: Ingemar Gustavsson

Position: Region Director

Age: 64

Zodiac sign: Sagittarius

Civil status and family: Married

Place of birth: Orust, Sweden 

Could you briefly introduce yourself and tell us something about your career path?

Born in a shipyard on the Swedish island of Orust, I was brought up within spitting distance of the sea. So, it is no surprise that I’m interested in shipbuilding and the shipping industry. I started as a newly educated electrician in 1972. After a few years I became a leading fitter, then a project manager continuing thereafter in the electrical profession with different managerial positions and culminating in the job of Region Director for Actemium.

I used to be the CEO of Processkontroll Elektriska which I founded in 2000. In 2010 my company built the first Onshore Power Supply (OPS) plant in the port of Gothenburg, according to the new OPS standard. The VINCI Group, the world’s biggest construction company, acquired Processkontroll Elektriska in 2012. The company operates today under the VINCI brand name of Actemium, which is well-known all over Europe. In January 2017, Actemium launched a brand-new business unit under the name Actemium OPS.

Actemium is a leading supplier of OPS plants. When did this all start – what was the very first OPS installation – and how many OPS plants have been commissioned so far?

This began in 2010 in the Port of Gothenburg in cooperation with Stena Line. Actemium has since built more than 20 OPS plants in Sweden, Norway and France.

It appears that cold ironing is primarily popular in Northern Europe and not in the rest of Europe. How come?

This is because Sweden and Norway have cheaper electricity than the rest of Europe, not to mention that the Port of Gothenburg’s then technical manager had a brilliant idea of connecting ships to the local grid. He realized that he could be one of the driving forces in the specification of OPS to create a world-wide standard.

A leading ferry operator once told us that cold ironing was not possible in densely-populated Mediterranean cities where the supply of electricity was already challenged on account of the high energy consumption from aircon devices. Is this correct?

Yes, that is correct, but now Actemium has the solution for that problem too!

Large cruise ships are often nicknamed ‘floating cities’. They therefore have high hotel loads. Can an OPS fully replace the ship’s auxiliaries, bearing in mind that cruise ships typically operate in warmer climes with a high energy demand to power onshore aircon?

Actemium has looked at different solutions in Swedish ports and we have a solution today for facilities of up to 25MVA.

You are heavily promoting portable OPS plants – can they meet the energy requirements of any ship type?

We have the solution for all types of vessels and ferries within the range 0.4kV up to 11kV, 50Hz or 60Hz, and 25MVA in a portable container.

What is your primary target market in shipping?

Our target market is to find solutions for ports to reduce emissions and pollution with OPS facilities, and to be able to connect all types of vessels to OPS.

Grimaldi has introduced battery technology to guarantee zero emissions in port. The batteries, which are 85% recyclable, are charged by the PTO shaft generator. Do you believe batteries are a good green alternative in ports without cold ironing facilities?

Yes, this is very much a good solution if you have space on board. Stena Line has also looked at doing this in combination with battery operation.

Aren’t OPS plants an interim solution as we will eventually see the emergence of fossil-free fuels in our striving to drastically reduce the GHG emissions footprint? 

We believe that irrespective of what happens regarding fuels for propulsion, OPS is the best permanent solution when in port. Ships’ engines can never beat the mass generation of green energy ashore. Our growing list of clients agrees wholeheartedly with us on this point.

What was your childhood dream job?

I decided early on to become an electrician and educated myself in 1972.

What are your holiday plans for the COVID-19 summer?

To stay in Sweden and experience the Bohuslän archipelago and cycle 100km a week. I cycle about 20km every night before going to bed.

What are your favourite pastime activities?

Being on the sea and biking to keep body and head in trim.

What music do you like?

Beach Boys and similar music.

What is your favourite dinner and drink combination?

I like pepper steak which goes with a good glass of red wine. As an aperitif, I like a good single malt whisky, MacAllan being one of my favourites.