French container line CMA CGM announced that its ship APL Singapura has inaugurated the cold ironing facilities of the Terminal des Flandres in the Port of Dunkirk.

By plugging into an onshore electricity supply (also known as "cold ironing"), container ships calling at port can shut down their auxiliary engines while still getting the power they need, particularly in order to maintain controlled temperatures in refrigerated containers (Reefers).

This innovative technology has significant environmental benefits, including: Zero emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides and fine particles while ships are at berth, and significantly reduced noise pollution.

The cold ironing system installed at the Terminal des Flandres will become fully operational during the first half of 2020. By undertaking this ambitious operation, the Port of Dunkirk and CMA CGM are confirming their determination to protect the environment.

ACTEMIUM, a consortium of two companies (Brest and Boulogne) was selected to carry out the works. These included the design and supply of a cold ironing system that fits into six 40-foot containers, converting the public electricity supply for use by ships at port. With capacity of 8 MW ­– enough to power nearly 1,000 homes – this system is one of the most powerful ever to be installed in Europe.

The operation was co-financed by the Urban Community of Dunkirk, the Hauts-de-France region (via the European Regional Development Fund), and the Port of Dunkirk. The CMA CGM Group covered the cost of the equipment needed to connect the vessel, in line with its efforts to support energy transition in the shipping industry.

Christine Cabau Woehrel, Executive Vice President in charge of Industrial Assets – CMA CGM Group, said: “Given CMA CGM's steadfast commitment to installing more environmentally responsible solutions on board its vessels, the Group supports cold ironing and we will continue to equip our fleet accordingly. We are ready to test this system with other European port authorities that are committed to using cold ironing at their container ship terminals, as the Port of Dunkirk has successfully done.”

Stéphane Raison, Chairman of the Port of Dunkirk Executive Board, said: “Our decision to develop this particularly innovative solution allowing container ships to plug into onshore power at the Terminal des Flandres is in line with the pro-active environmental policy that the Port of Dunkirk has been pursuing for many years.”