The Port of Marseille-Fos provides Onshore Power Supply (OPS) for ships at berth and constantly looks at expanding its OPS connections network. Already for many years, the port was providing low voltage (400 volts in 50 Hz) OPS but during the last 3 years, high voltage (11,000 volts and 50 Hz) OPS is also available for the mixed cargo vessels of the service to Corsica. Indeed, vessels of La Méridionale have been connecting since early 2017 and the first Corsica Linea connection took place in October 2019. All Corsican traffic will be using the OPS connections by the end of the first half of 2020.
The Port of Marseille-Fos is committed to continue the effort in the framework of its Strategic Project 2019-2023, that aims to reduce the environmental nuisances and impacts in the whole Marseille Basin. As part of the project, new OPS connection points will be deployed to serve more terminals and shipping companies.
- By 2022, the entire new Cape Janet International Terminal (4 berths for ferries) will be OPS equipped with high voltage (11,000 volts and 50 Hz) connections. This terminal is used by three shipping companies (ENTMV, CTN, Corsica Linea) and by 8 vessels with different characteristics.
- By 2024, the cruise terminal will also be OPS equipped so as to simultaneously serve 2 cruise ships in high voltage (11,000 volts and 60 Hz).
- Beyond these two major projects, the Port of Marseille-Fos implements in parallel OPS for ships in repair, afloat or dry, and is also looking at other types of traffic of less intensity but where OPS can have significant environmental gains.
The energy required for these projects currently comes from the ENEDIS public distribution network. The Port of Marseille-Fos buys electricity with renewable certificates of origin. In order to further improve the overall energy mix for OPS connections, it is planned to equip the port buildings’ roofs with photovoltaics in order to reach the level of power required for the simultaneous connection of all the vessels. In addition to drastically reducing air pollution and greenhouse gases, the connection of ships to the power grid eliminates engine noise and vibrations in benefit of the nearby urban areas.