International Car Operators (ICO), a member of Japan’s NYK Group, has started commercial operations at Belgium’s first shore power facility for roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessels at the port of Zeebrugge.
The facility entered service after a testing phase earlier this month, during which technical specifications were validated. The first vessel connected to the system was an NYK-operated pure car and truck carrier (PCTC).
The project marks the first commercial use of shore power for RoRo vessels in Belgium and the first time an NYK Group-operated PCTC has used shore power while berthed.
Shore power allows vessels to receive electricity from the terminal while in port, enabling onboard generators to be switched off and reducing emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.
The installation currently has the capacity to supply electricity to one vessel at a time, with potential for future expansion.
All electricity supplied through the system is generated from renewable sources via ICO’s on-site wind farm, which consists of 11 turbines. The company also provides the required cabling and connection infrastructure, allowing vessels without onboard shore power equipment to use the facility.
The project received support from the Flemish Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (VLAIO).
With the investment, ICO is anticipating the future and the continued greening of the shipping industry, the company said, adding that the facility will help prepare the port for the next generation of lower-emission vessels.
“This investment confirms ICO’s ambition to play a pioneering role in a sustainable and competitive port environment, both in Belgium and internationally,” said Alain Guillemyn, managing director of ICO.
The shore power project forms part of a broader sustainability program at the terminal, which includes more than 600 electric vehicle charging stations, 12,600 square metres of solar panels and an automated parking tower capable of accommodating 10,000 vehicles.
Founded in 1984, ICO handles more than 2.5 million vehicles annually through its terminals in Zeebrugge and Antwerp and is one of Europe's largest roll-on/roll-off cargo operators.