Port of Toulon in the South of France, which handles over 1.6 mill ferry and cruise passengers annually, has chosen ABB’s shore connection technology.
With around 1,300 yearly calls from ferries and cruise vessels into the centre of the city, the port plays an important role in developing the attractiveness of the region for business and tourists.
It is also central to the ‘Zero-smoke stopovers’ plan put forward by the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (Région Sud PACA) region, which aims to electrify the Toulon, Marseille and Nice ports to enable vessels to berth emission-free.
ABB claimed that shore-to-ship power connections allow ships to turn off their diesel generators during port calls. For shipowners, this means savings on fuel and maintenance costs, while switching to cleaner and more sustainable energy.
Cruise and ferry passengers, as well as local residents, benefit not only from cleaner air, but also from less noise and vibrations generated when ships are docked.
“Toulon is the first Mediterranean port to supply power to all of its docks. This is an innovative project built on an intelligent energy flow management system with a unique energy mix.
“With the support of ABB as well as the Région Sud PACA and our partners, we are significantly improving air quality in the port, while maintaining business activity. The shore-to-ship power connection will eliminate more than 80% of pollutant emissions. It will also save 9,000 hours of vessels running on diesel annually.
“For the ferry activity in the city of Toulon alone, this adds up to a reduction in sulphur emissions equivalent to those of 50,000 cars in a year,” said Hubert Falco, Toulon Provence Méditerranée Metropolis President.
“Technically, this project is developing a new, intelligent smart grid power network using digital technology to manage energy flows from several interconnected sources. The infrastructure makes it possible to optimise overall energy efficiency, while limiting the carbon footprint,” said Frédéric Mestivier, designer and technical director of the power project for the Toulon Provence Méditerranée Metropolis.
ABB is heading up the consortium selected to manage and execute this turnkey project, with commissioning due next year.
The solution will be capable of delivering enough energy to cover the needs of three ferries calling at the port simultaneously, or one cruise ship. Vessels will have the possibility to use 50 or 60Hz power connections.
As part of the consortium, Eiffage Construction will carry out the civil engineering work, and Fauché will be responsible for installing and connecting the equipment.
Through the design undertaken by the Toulon Provence Méditerranée Metropolos, the system implemented with ABB equipment will have the ability to automatically adjust the energy mix to supply vessels through the local power network (Enedis), with solar energy produced from a photovoltaic shelter, as well as an energy storage system made up of lithium batteries.
The system will help smooth consumption peaks while allowing the storage of excess solar energy production. It will also be able to use other renewable energy sources, such as fuel cells, as they become available.
“We are honoured to have been selected by Toulon Provence Méditerranée Metropolis to work on this innovative project,” said Jyri Jusslin, Head of Service, ABB Marine & Ports. “We commend the Toulon authorities for grasping this opportunity. It sets a course for a more sustainable future with smart systems that already exist today.”
Sustainable transportation, including marine and inland vessels, will play an important role in the goal set by France to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 in accordance with the climate plan announced in 2017.
Worldwide, ferries transport around 4 bill passengers and 370 mill vehicles every year, according to trade association Interferry. The IMO has adopted a strategy to reduce annual emissions by at least 40% by 2030 and 70% by 2050, and the passenger transport is under pressure to achieve these targets.
ABB’s shore-to-ship power technology has already been integrated in over 50 ports worldwide to support the reduction of emissions while striving towards sustainable maritime transport.
