The entry into operation of the OPS paraferris completes the first phase of the Nexige plan for the electrification of docks which, with more than 200 million euros of investment, will reduce emissions from port activity by 47%. The OPS of Grimaldi Terminal Barcelona operates in a pilot phase to provide data and experience on the supply of electricity to ships.

The installation of the OPS has been carried out in coordination with Grimaldi Logística España, designing the various systems that make it up to make them compatible with the daily operations of the terminal. At the same time, Trasmed, the Spanish shipping company of the Grimaldi Group, has adapted its ships Ciudad de Palma and Ciudad de Sóller to make them compatible with the system, so that their engines are already being connected and stopped during their stopovers at the Port of Barcelona.

The possibility of connecting the two ships that cover the Barcelona-Palma line on a daily basis will multiply the positive impact of the new system. By stopping the engines during their stay in the Port of Barcelona, these ships will stop emitting an average of 6.14 tonnes of CO2 per stopover. That means eliminating 2,090 tons of CO2 per year.

The proximity of the terminal to the city, located next to Plaça de les Drassanes and less than 200 metres from the first homes in Poble-sec, increases the positive impact of this system for citizens, improving air quality in Barcelona and reducing the noise generated by the operation of ships.

The OPS, manufactured by Vinci Energies in France, combines a fixed installation that adapts the frequency and voltage of the electrical current to the specific needs of each ship, with a mobile system manufactured by Shore Link in Estonia that makes it possible to connect without interfering with the operation of the dock. The current system allows a single boat to be connected, but the installation has been designed to make it easily expandable so that two ships can be connected simultaneously at the two docking points of the Sant Bertran quay. The system has had a cost of 3.5 million euros and has been financed in part through the Sustainable and Digital Transport Support Programme of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Territory, Silvia Paneque; the CEO of Grimaldi LogísticaEspaña, Mario Massarotti; the CEO of Trasmed, Ettore Morace; the Director of Operations of Puertos del Estado, Pedro García, as well as the President of the Port of Barcelona, José Alberto Carbonell.

"This OPS is especially important because it is located in the terminal closest to the city. When we talk about decarbonising port activity, we do so thinking about the climate emergency, but above all we do so thinking about the quality of life of the people around us. Today's is a great step in this direction but it will not be the last. The OPS of Grimaldi Terminal Barcelona allows us to continue advancing with the Nexige plan to improve the air quality of our environment and make port activity more sustainable", said the president of the Port of Barcelona.

Mario Massarotti, CEO of Grimaldi Logística España, said that "once again, the Grimaldi Group strengthens its commitment to sustainable transport. All vessels operating on the Italian market have been equipped with batteries for several years and have been operating with zero emissions in the port ever since. This same commitment is shared by Trasmed, the group's company operating in the Balearic market, which has invested more than 1.2 million euros in the adaptation of the ships to the OPS (Onshore Power Supply) system. Thanks to these initiatives, we are proud to be the only group in the Port of Barcelona that operates in this terminal with zero emissions, thus contributing to improving air quality and the well-being of the citizens of Barcelona".

"We must understand the difficulty of large infrastructures in the development of the energy transition, due to their magnitude and the involvement of a multitude of agents", said the Minister of Territory, Silvia Paneque, adding that "we must recognise the strategy, effort and involvement of the Port of Barcelona with the development of the Energy Transition Plan that it is carrying out, with the aim of becoming a carbon-neutral port by 2050 and a hub for the production and distribution of green energy".

The Director of Operation of Puertos del Estado, Pedro García Navarro, stressed that "this initiative is a relevant step for the state port system in the process of electrification of docks. This new development in the Port of Barcelona responds to the commitment of the state-owned port system to sustainability and innovation. The installation that is being launched today, the result of the collaboration of the entire public sector and the private initiative, serves as an example for the Spanish transport enclaves, transport chains and energy transition."

First phase of the Nexige plan
The start-up of the OPS of Grimaldi Terminal Barcelona is a further step in the Nexige plan in the electrification of the main docks of the Port of Barcelona before 2030. In parallel to the entry into operation of the two pilot projects, progress is being made in the construction of a new electrical substation from which a new medium-voltage network will be deployed throughout the port area, including an underwater pipeline to connect the supplies of the Energy dock and the Adossat dock, essential to electrify the cruise terminals.

The electrification of the Port of Barcelona's docks has the ultimate objective of improving air quality around the port area and is a key element in the Energy Transition Plan, becoming one of the pillars of the decarbonisation of port activity.