PLANS have been announced to install a second Shore Power Connection at the Port of Southampton.

Associated British Ports (ABP) has announced plans to install a second Shore Power connection at the Port of Southampton to continue its support for sustainable cruising.

The company has confirmed that the Mayflower terminal is set to be equipped with the ‘plug in’ technology.

This comes after the announcement that Shore Power is one of the leading environmental features incorporated into the design of the port’s new Horizon cruise terminal.

This is said to be the next step in an ongoing partnership with Carnival UK to enable sustainable cruising from the Port of Southampton and follows a £12m investment at the port’s Ocean Terminal in readiness for LNG-powered P&O Cruises’ Iona.

By introducing the option for cruise ships, with onboard capability, to plug in while alongside, the port could start seeing CO2 emission savings of up to 863kg in CO2 and 10.5kg of Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) per vessel call each year.

Daily Echo: ABP Southampton Director, Alastair WelchABP Southampton Director, Alastair Welch

Alastair Welch, Regional Director at the port, said: “We are incredibly proud to be making another significant step as we further develop our sustainable credentials for cruise with Carnival UK here in Southampton. This is good news for the port, for air quality and for the future of cruise.”

Carnival UK President, Simon Palethorpe, added: “A number of our P&O Cruises and Cunard ships are already shore-power enabled and we have plans to install this capability across our fleet. We very much look forward to our return to service this summer and being able to plug into this option while our ships are in port.”

This investment has received support from HM Government’s Local Growth Deal that provides funds to Local Enterprise Partnerships for projects that benefit the area and economy.

Through this the Solent LEP has part-funded the project that means that an alternative fuel can potentially be offered or supported at each of the dedicated cruise terminals in the port.

Anne-Marie Mountifield, Chief Executive of the Solent LEP, said: “Southampton’s shore power initiative is a huge opportunity to pioneer the green credentials of our local economy and the wider advances in maritime technology.”

The second connection will be commissioned and installed this year.