Scotland’s most ambitious maritime decarbonisation project has gone live at the Port of Aberdeen, delivering shore power capabilities across eight berths in the North Harbour and setting a bold example for ports across the UK. The new infrastructure allows vessels to plug into the national grid via the port’s renewable energy tariff, eliminating the need to burn fossil fuels while docked. This transition cuts fuel consumption, slashes CO₂ emissions, and significantly reduces noise and air pollution in surrounding communities.
For Port of Aberdeen, a Trust Port targeting net zero by 2040, the switch marks a milestone. Backed by the Department for Transport’s Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure (ZEVI) programme, this initiative represents Scotland’s largest single maritime clean energy investment to date.
“This is a major achievement for Port of Aberdeen,” said Mike Kane, UK Maritime Minister. “It shows what can be achieved when we put our full energy behind decarbonisation.”
Installed by PowerCon, a Danish shore power technology specialist, the system is projected to prevent up to 60,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent from entering the atmosphere over the next two decades. That’s roughly the same impact as removing more than 2,000 cars from UK roads annually.
The first vessel to draw green power from the port’s grid was the NS Iona, operated by OSM Thome. This vessel is one of five that were retrofitted to accept shore power as part of the initial demonstrator phase.
The project, known as Shore Power in Operation, received a combined investment of £4 million from public and private partners. In addition to the eight berths in North Harbour, Port of Aberdeen has also equipped berths at Regent Quay to support Bibby Marine’s ZEVI-backed electric Service Operation Vessel, and is finalising shore connection infrastructure for Serco NorthLink’s passenger ferries, funded by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL).
“Our Shore Power in Operation demonstrator is the single biggest maritime decarbonisation project in Scotland to date,” said Bob Sanguinetti, CEO of Port of Aberdeen. “It represents a £4 million investment in clean energy and will deliver an 80% reduction in carbon emissions at berth.”
According to Sanguinetti, the port is now exploring how to extend shore power access across its entire 7,600-metre quayside. This aligns with new research from the University of Manchester’s Tyndall Centre, which outlines how UK policy could accelerate shore power deployment nationwide.
The Aberdeen project is one of ten flagship demonstrations selected under the ZEVI competition, launched in 2023 with over £80 million in government funding. Projects range from the Orkney Isles to the south of England, involving 52 partners across academia, shipping, infrastructure, and energy.
The Aberdeen initiative was delivered by a broad consortium including OSM Offshore, Tidewater Marine UK Ltd, Connected Places Catapult, the Tyndall Centre, and supported by Buro Happold and Energy Systems Catapult.
Peter Selway, Shore Power Specialist at PowerCon, stressed the urgency of wider UK adoption: “Pollution from berthed vessels accounts for nearly half of greenhouse gas emissions from domestic shipping. Shore power can eliminate this entirely, but the UK has lagged behind. Aberdeen is now showing how it can be done.”
While shore connection systems are standard across many European and North American ports, the UK’s adoption has been relatively limited. The Port of Aberdeen hopes its lead will inspire other UK ports to follow.
“Public and private sector partnership is essential to move green infrastructure projects from feasibility studies and demonstrators to deployment at scale,” added Sanguinetti.
As the shipping industry eyes 2050 for net zero emissions, projects like Aberdeen’s offer a blueprint for scalable solutions. Minister Kane emphasised that maritime decarbonisation isn’t just an environmental priority—it’s an economic one too.
“Green fuels and technology aren’t only vital for the planet,” he said. “They also create jobs and breathe new life into coastal towns and cities.”
