Denmark’s Port of Aarhus has completed a trial of the country’s first shore power installation for containerships, ahead of planned daily operations from January 2027. The Maritime Executive reported that the test used Eimskip’s Dettifoss, which remained connected for almost 10 hours and drew approximately 6.5 MWh of electricity from the shore.
The Icelandic operator’s vessel has a deadweight of 25,690 tonnes and capacity for 2,150 TEU. Built in China, the 180-metre ship entered service in 2020. Eimskip Denmark managing director Thomas Breth Clausen said the company already had experience using shore power in Iceland and welcomed its involvement in bringing the Aarhus installation into use.
Port officials said vessels would have the option to connect when daily operations begin. They expect the installation to cut noise and particle pollution from berthed ships while preparing the port for forthcoming EU requirements. Aarhus chief executive Ulrik Andersen described the investment as important to the port’s competitiveness and environmental transition, noting that the majority of Denmark’s container cargo moves through the hub.
Providing electricity to containerships presents particular operational challenges, according to the report. Vessels continue to need power at berth for onboard infrastructure and refrigerated containers carrying food, creating substantial demands on the grid. Container terminals must also accommodate more frequent arrivals, multiple vessels simultaneously and considerable variation in ship size and berthing position. Once fully developed, the Aarhus installation is intended to supply up to four containerships at the same time.
Aarhus opened Denmark’s first cruise ship shore power facility in 2023, but officials said container operations require a different degree of flexibility. The new project receives support from the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility fund and follows comparable developments at other European ports, including Hamburg. The Maritime Executive reported that the FuelEU Maritime Regulation will require container and passenger ships above 5,000 gross tonnes to use onshore electricity while berthed from 1 January 2030.