• 3 min de lectura
• 3 min de lectura
Thursday, September 17, 2026. The president of the Port Authority of the Bay of Cadiz, Teófila Martínez, and the head of Endesa's OPS project, José María Reyes, today presented the OPS (Onshore Power Supply) system for cruise ships at the Port of Cadiz at Seatrade Cruise Med, held in Las Palmas. This infrastructure positions the port of Cadiz at the forefront of port electrification and the energy transition in the cruise sector.
The presentation, held at the Puertos del Estado stand, allowed representatives of the international cruise industry to learn about the characteristics and benefits of a system that enables vessels to connect their facilities to the electrical grid while docked at Alfonso XIII Pier, thus avoiding the need to keep their auxiliary engines running to meet their energy needs during the call.
This solution significantly reduces the environmental and acoustic impact of port calls. According to calculations by Puertos del Estado, electrical connection can reduce NOx emissions by 96%, SOx by 8%, particulates by 94%, and CO₂ by 64% compared to onboard electricity generation using fuel. In the case of the Port of Cadiz, the effect is enhanced by Endesa's supply of energy with a renewable origin certificate.
The project involved an investment of 1.5 million euros by the APBC in this first phase, while Endesa allocated 6.75 million euros, including 2.7 million from the Sustainable and Digital Transport Support Program, within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan financed by NextGenerationEU funds.
The installation features a 16 MVA OPS station, equipped to adapt the voltage and frequency of the electrical grid to the vessel's requirements. The system is complemented by a mobile connection device with an articulated arm that allows for a safe and efficient link between the land infrastructure and the ship.
In this first stage, the installation is sized to supply electricity to one vessel, but thanks to its modular configuration, it will later allow for power expansion up to 24 MVA and serve other vessels at different piers.
The projected demand during the first year is 8.62 GWh, with an estimated saving of approximately 5,000 tons of CO₂ annually, equivalent to the emissions associated with about 2,800 vehicles circulating for a year. Endesa has a 35-year concession for providing the service at Alfonso XIII Pier.
During the presentation, Teófila Martínez highlighted the value of the Port of Cadiz being able to showcase an infrastructure at an international specialized forum like Seatrade Cruise Med, whose success will be measured by every vessel that turns off its engines when docking in our port.
The participation of APBC and Endesa in Seatrade Cruise Med thus allows the international cruise sector to see an already operational and scalable solution, aligned with the new environmental demands of maritime transport and with the Port of Cadiz's strategy to move towards a more electrified, efficient, and sustainable port model.