Savona Completes Shore Power Installation at Cruise Terminal

The Port of Savona, in Italy, completed construction of a €10 million shore power installation at its Palacrociere cruise terminal. The Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority is currently conducting connection tests between vessels and the local power grid ahead of bringing the system into operation.

Ship-to-shore connection tests began in early October, and at least one successful connection test has already been completed. The installation includes a mobile cable management system that will allow vessels to connect to shore power while berthed, enabling them to shut down their onboard generators.

According to figures released by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in September, 193 cruise ships, equivalent to 65% of the fleet reporting data to the association, are already equipped to connect to shore power, up from just 55 vessels in 2018. However, only 40 cruise ports worldwide have at least one berth equipped with this technology, representing less than 3% of cruise ports globally. CLIA projects that the number of equipped vessels will reach 279 by 2039, which would further widen the gap if ports do not accelerate their infrastructure investments.

Savona's new installation is part of a broader upgrade to the port's electrical infrastructure, which includes solar power generation, energy storage, and a smart distribution grid. The pressure on European ports adds to European Union regulations requiring major ports to provide shore power facilities starting in 2030. The port authority has not yet announced a definitive commissioning date.