By the end of this year, ships berthing at the docks of Ningbo Zhoushan Port Group will be able to use shore electricity free of charge.

Recently, in order to further reduce the pollution emissions of ships calling at the port and increase the utilization rate of shore power from port ships, Ningbo has issued the "Ningbo Port Power Award and Compensation Measures" (hereinafter referred to as the Measures). On the basis of the compensation of RMB/kWh, by the end of 2023, ships berthing at the wharf of Ningbo Zhoushan Port Group can use shore power free of charge.

The measures were formally implemented on June 10, making Ningbo Zhoushan Port the first global port in China that can use shore power for free.

It is understood that port electricity refers to the provision of shore power to the overall equipment used by ships at the port to replace the ship's own fuel auxiliary equipment, to meet the electricity demand of electrical equipment such as production operations and living facilities on board, and to reduce noise and Environmental pollution.

In previous years, due to factors such as higher shore power costs and epidemics, the built port power facilities were used less frequently, so the key breakthrough point for shore power promotion was price guidance.

The Measures stipulate that the Ningbo Transportation and Shipping Department, in conjunction with the Ningbo Municipal Finance Department, will allocate more than 7000 million yuan of financial funds by strengthening the guidance of financial funds to implement rewards and subsidies for the construction and transformation of port power and the use of shore power, and promote the use of shore power by ships calling at the port.

At the same time, if the port charges a shore power fee of not more than 0.3 yuan/kWh to the ship, the port can apply for a high-voltage shore power award of 10000 yuan/ship for the first time, as well as a shore power system annual power supply award.

If the annual electricity consumption of high-voltage shore power facilities is less than 200000 kWh, 0.8 yuan/kWh will be awarded; if the annual electricity consumption is greater than 200000 kWh, 1 yuan/kWh will be awarded.

In addition, the continuous improvement of shore power facilities and the improvement of the ship power of the operators of shore power facilities can also guide more ships to receive shore power during port calls.

It is reported that by the end of May 2023, Ningbo has built 22 sets of high-voltage shore power systems, realizing full coverage of high-voltage shore power in the four container port areas of Beilun, Chuanshan, Meishan and Daxie in Ningbo port area. There are 148 sets of low-voltage shore power facilities, basically realizing full coverage of 52 specialized berths in Ningbo.

Source: China Shipping Weekly