The Port of Gothenburg takes big step towards shore power connection for container and car/RoRo vessels

The Port of Gothenburg has signed a contract for the construction of a transformer station serving the port’s container and car terminals. The facility is a key part of the infrastructure required to enable shore power connection for both container vessels and car/RoRo ships – something that will be available at the port before 2030.

“This transformer station is an important milestone that brings us significantly closer to shore-side power connection for container and car/RoRo vessels. It enables electrical connection at a total of seven berths – five at the container terminal and two at the car terminal,” says Magnus Nordfeldt, Head of Business Area Cargo at the Port of Gothenburg.

With OPS (Onshore Power Supply), vessels can be powered by quay-side electricity instead of fossil fuels while berthed. This leading to reduced emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides, and nitrogen oxides – thereby lowering the climate footprint, creating a cleaner local environment, and improving working conditions at the port. By connecting container vessels alone, the port has the potential to reduce CO₂ emissions by at least 5,600 tonnes per year.

With OPS available for container and car/RoRo vessels, the port will also comply with upcoming EU regulations that, starting in 2030, require ships over 5,000 gross tons to connect to OPS while at berth. OPS is already installed at the port’s Ro-Ro and Ro-Pax terminals, as well as at the Energy terminal.

AF Bygg Väst, part of AF Gruppen Sweden, has been awarded the contract to build the new transformer station. The contract value is SEK 129 million (approximately EUR 11.4 million) and includes the construction of a transformer station with a capacity of 19 MVA (megavolt amperes) for incoming power.

“We are pleased to be entrusted with contributing to a more sustainable port operation and look forward to starting our first collaboration with the Port of Gothenburg,” says Bård Frydenlund, Executive Vice President, AF Gruppen Sweden.

The transformer station project will commence in the second quarter of 2025 and is scheduled for completion in March 2027. The project is co-financed by the EU fund “Connecting Europe Facility” with support of approximately SEK 90 million.

Total investments for OPS in the container and car terminals – which also include cable installations and switchgear for seven berths – are estimated at around SEK 600 million (approximately EUR 52.8 million).

Fact file: Transformer station for shore power connection in the container and car terminals

• Dimensions (facility): Approximately 56 by 18 meters
• Location: In the northernmost part of the car terminal
• Capacity: Enables simultaneous shore power connection to 5 berths in the container terminal and 2 in the car terminal. Each output will have a capacity of 4 MVA per berth (with the option to combine two outputs into one connection point with doubled capacity)
• Completion Date: March 2027
• Contract Value: SEK 129 million (≈ EUR 11.4 million)