In connection with the Stockholm H20 event during World Water Week, the first sod was laid for electrical connection facilities for cruise ships. As the first port in Sweden, Ports of Stockholm is now building electricity connections for cruise ships at berths 167 and 160 at Stadsgården.

- We are now taking a major step towards becoming a sustainable cruise destination of international class. The electricity connection for cruise ships at Stadsgården is an important joint environmental investment that Stockholms Hamnar is making together with other Baltic Sea ports, says Joakim Larsson (M), responsible city council for Stockholms Hamnar.

The entire environmental initiative is a collaboration with other Baltic Sea ports. It leads to significantly lower emissions of carbon dioxide and air pollution from cruise ships in Stockholm and around the Baltic Sea. Ports of Stockholm cooperates with the three ports of Copenhagen, Aarhus and Helsinki to make it possible for cruise ships and shipping companies to connect to electricity according to a common international standard in the various ports. This leads to more shipping companies making the large investment of onboard equipment required to connect to electricity.

- It feels good that by next season we can also connect cruise ships to electricity. It will be the first facility in Sweden and one of a few in Europe. Cruise passengers mean a lot to Stockholm economically and contribute over 1,000 jobs in the region, says Thomas Andersson, CEO of the Port of Stockholm.

The work to equip Stadsgården's berth 167 and later also berth 160 with electric connection will be completed in 2023 and 2024 respectively. These cruise berths are two of the most used within the Ports of Stockholm. The assessment is that at least 45 percent of cruise calls can connect to electricity at the quay once the equipment is in place.

The total reduction in greenhouse gas emissions will be at least 6,000 tonnes per year as a result of the electricity connections. The environmental investment for cruise ships in Stockholm is prioritized and grants have been granted both from the EU and from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's Climate Action Plan.