by Paris Tsirigotis

 

The port of Piraeus is ready to proceed with the implementation of ship electrification infrastructure from land, starting from the area of coastal shipping.

 

The organization has already completed the relevant studies for the "clean" electrical interconnection of coastal shipping vessels and is going to submit the relevant proposal to the competent European body in order to get the green light for funding from the Cohesion Fund, at a rate of 85%.

 

The program will be completed by the end of December and the relevant dossier is expected to be submitted early next year.

 

The areas in the coastal shipping port where the power stations will be built and will connect the port of Piraeus with the substations are on the coast of Poseidonos, Agios Dionysios, Hetionia and Perikleous. The arms that will connect the ship to the port infrastructure will also be placed in the specific positions.

 

The electrification study that accompanies the master plan of the port also includes the environmental study, which is mandatory, as well as the plan for the transfer of the clean power that will be required by the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator (HEDNO), which has already completed the relevant proposal.

 

In terms of consumption, the power consumed by the port of Piraeus is 10 megawatts, while it is estimated that with the new electrification infrastructure of the five berths of the coastal shipping vessels, the consumption that will be required in addition will have a total power of 13.5 megawatts.

 

Together with the four electrification sites also planned for the cruise, the total electrical power for the entire port is expected to reach around 130 megawatts.

 

Shipping is next to "green" fuels

 

The president of the Union of Greek Shipowners Melina Travlos called on the international community to support the efforts of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) while addressing the conference organized by the International Chamber of Shipping at COP28, which is being held in Dubai.

 

"To ensure (the governments) that it fulfills its demanding mission to urgently adopt appropriate measures to reduce emissions," she explained.

 

As far as the IMO is concerned, she stressed that the absence of a common approach and clear direction from governments, regulators and stakeholders adds another dimension to this unpredictable situation.

 

"We all have a common vision. But it often gets lost in translation. This leads to confusion, uncertainty and sometimes regional decisions," she said and added:

 

"We cannot have regional solutions for a global industry and for assets that move globally. This undermines the IMO's efforts to introduce global solutions that ensure a level playing field globally."

 

She also stressed another important issue, security. "The global shift," she said, "to net zero must be made with a common denominator: the safety of people, ships and the environment. After all, people are the driving force behind our industry

 

Green corridor from Greek-owned LNG carriers

 

Greek shipowners play a leading role in the promotion of new green fuels with zero pollutants. Not only in terms of the use of alternative fuels in shipping, but also in the maritime transport of these fuels.

 

GasLog is one of these companies. The company, which operates 34 LNG carriers and has four more on order, is participating in a joint effort to create a marine corridor to transport liquid green hydrogen from Oman to the port of Amsterdam. GasLog's role will be to transport liquid hydrogen to Europe.

 

The agreement underlines the partners' clear ambitions to make the world's first commercial-scale liquid green hydrogen sea corridor a reality.