MSC Group's shore power journey: Connecting ships to shore in four countries

The implementation of shore power connections allows ships to cease onboard electricity production during berthing operations, effectively eliminating direct atmospheric emissions and enhancing local air quality within port environments. #MSC #SPC

By the early 14th century, both European and African shipbuilders had developed vessels capable of handling long oceanic voyages. The Mediterranean and Atlantic routes required ships that could survive rough seas, variable winds, and long distances—conditions similar to those across the Atlantic. In Europe, ships such as the cog and later the caravel represented major advancements. They had strong hulls, high sides, and improved rigging systems, including mixed square and lateen sails that allowed better maneuverability against the wind. These were crucial for both Atlantic exploration and trade with distant lands. Meanwhile, North and West African mariners, particularly from coastal regions around Mali and later from Senegambia, had also built seaworthy vessels—some capable of crossing to the Canary Islands or beyond. Oral and written traditions (for example, accounts from Mali about voyages under Mansa Abubakari II) suggest organized attempts at transoceanic travel. The route from Europe and Africa to India via the Cape and Indian Ocean required endurance against the Atlantic swells, equatorial calms, and monsoon systems. Mastery of these conditions meant that sailors had the experience, ship design, and navigational understanding to face the Atlantic’s challenges as well. By that time, both the technological capacity and maritime competence existed for transoceanic travel—centuries before Columbus or da Gama formalized those routes. It makes early, possibly undocumented, contact between the Old World and the Americas technically possible.

⚡ From Stockholm to Shanghai, Lisbon to Tasmania, this week’s maritime decarbonization wave charts a new electric course across the globe. This week on Shorize 🌍 https://shorturl.at/S9sMw 🇸🇪 Stockholm wraps a record cruise season powered by its new shore power system 🇨🇳 LA–Long Beach–Shanghai Corridor hits 100% shore power readiness 🇺🇸 San Diego celebrates its clean-tech legacy 🇪🇸 Málaga launches a $13M substation tender to enable OPS 🇧🇸 Nassau prepares a $100M bond issue to finance a shore power plant 🇨🇳 China launches its largest all-electric bulker 🇩🇪 Hamburg’s HADAG orders three electric ferries for 2028 delivery 🇨🇱 ASENAV (Chile) floats out the first hybrid-electric expedition cruise ship 🇵🇹 Madeira’s Lobo Marinho becomes Portugal’s first OPS-connected vessel 🇦🇺 Incat Tasmania nears completion of the world’s largest electric ferry 🇸🇬 Yinson GreenTech unveils Hydromover 2.0, a next-gen electric cargo vessel 🇺🇸 Navier advances its all-electric hydrofoil boats 🇳🇿 Vessev launches the VS-Drive 🌊 HX Expeditions debuts fully electric Zodiacs for Arctic and Antarctic research ⚙️ HMM & Hanwha partner to develop zero-carbon propulsion 🔋 ABB wins contract for seven Scottish electric ferries ⚡ Wärtsilä to power two Danish Incat ferries 🔗 Like, follow, and share for the latest in port electrification and vessel innovation: https://lnkd.in/d6j3Zmw5 #ShorePower #ElectricFerries #HybridShips #OPS #GreenPorts #MaritimeInnovation #ZeroEmissions #Decarbonization #SmartPorts #BatteryMaritime #ShorizeNews Stefan Scheja Ports of Stockholm Mike Maura Jr Nassau Cruise Port Ltd. Charles Farquharson Yan Xinping Chinese Academy of Engineering Martin Lobmeyer HADAG Seetouristik und Fährdienst AG ASENAV S.A. Antarctica21 Porto Santo Line Grupo Sousa, Investimentos SGPS, Lda Jan Viggo Johansen Yinson GreenTech Prakash Vakkayil Sampriti Bhattacharyya Navier Max Olson Vessev Eric Laakmann Incat Tasmania Verena Meraldi HX Expeditions Iain McNeill Sam Pickering RAD Propulsion Michal Jaguszewski Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. Caledonian Maritime Assets Juha Koskela ABB Roger Holm Wärtsilä Marine C40 Cities Watts Marine, LLC Arawak Port Development Limited EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority) Hanwha Ocean HMM Photo edit: https://lnkd.in/dPqkz8Ev

Viking reached a major milestone in the cruise industry, surpassing 100 vessels worldwide. The company celebrated the naming of its 100th ship, Viking Honir, in Basel, Switzerland, alongside eight other river vessels located at different points around the world.   The milestone ship, Viking Honir, is a Longship designed to sail the Rhine, Main, and Danube, accommodating 190 passengers in 95 staterooms. The eight other new river ships include designs for 82 passengers on the Nile, 80 on Southeast Asia’s Mekong River, and 106 on Portugal’s Douro River. Other vessels are tailored to river limits, such as the Seine.   Viking started in 1997 as a small river cruise operator. Today, it operates 89 river ships, 12 ocean cruise ships, and 2 expedition vessels. Its fleet sails 21 rivers, five oceans, and all seven continents.   Viking’s ocean cruise ships carry fewer than 1,000 passengers per ship and are currently in their second design, adapted to regulations. The company is also building two ocean ships with advanced hydrogen power systems in partnership with Fincantieri.   Viking plans further expansion. By 2028, its river fleet will grow to 112 ships. Ocean and expedition ships will increase to 23 by 2031. Most river ships are built with Meyer Neptun in Rostock, Germany.

There are yet far more insights and learning to be had from older, simpler inventions such as sailboats. Far more environmentally friendly and, one might argue, simpler and safer to operate. The largest cargo sailboat, Neoliner Origin, capable of carrying 5300 tones of cargo, completed its first transatlantic voyage in October, promising almost 50% reduction in maritime emissions and pollutions. https://lnkd.in/gPNq8U69

Antarctica21’s new expedition cruise ship, Magellan Discoverer, has floated out at the ASENAV S.A. shipyard in Valdivia, Chile    “With the launch of Magellan Discoverer, we reaffirm our commitment to sustainable Antarctic tourism and to innovation from southern Chile… we are proud to collaborate with ASENAV on this project, which brings together cutting-edge engineering and a responsible vision for travel in the planet’s most remote region,” said Jaime Vásquez of Antarctica21.    Read more: https://lnkd.in/e5AqPSz5    #cruise #Antarctica #shipbuilding

The World's Largest Cargo Sailing Ship Joins Growing Global Windship Fleet. The Neoliner Origin cargo ship #sailingship from #French marine transport company NEOLINE, just completed its first transatlantic trip from St. Nazaire, France, to St. Pierre & Miquelon (French Overseas Territories, near Canada,) and then to Baltimore, Maryland. The 136m/ 446ft, Ro-Ro (Roll On, Roll Off) cargo ship designed by shipbuilders, MAURIC, "has two (2) 76m SOLID SAIL innovative folding masts provides an environmentally friendly cargo transport system," to haul up to 5300 tons at a speed of 11 knot speed under sail, cutting emissions by 80-90% compared to convetional ships. Beyond creating a bespoke #sailingship, the UK National Clean Maritime Research Hub says retrofittiing convetional ships can reduce emissions by 5-20%, "with no opreational changes." NEOLINE also had help from Chantiers de l'Atlantique and FOURE LAGADEC Marine who designed the SOLIDSAILS and worked on "anti-drift plans" to help keep the ship's heading steady under sail, respectively. Cool, video and packed with info. This follows a post here about another #French sailing cargo ship from Grain de Sail earlier this year. You can also travel on the Neoliner Origin as passenger too. Part of #windships #sailingship trend in maritime shipping with other entrants like SAILCARGO INC. and "#windassist technologies like Airseas, BAR Technologies, SkySails Power Norsepower to name a few." Reuters NEOLINE Jean Zanuttini MAURIC Vincent Seguin International Windship Association Chantiers de l'Atlantique FOURE LAGADEC Marine ZEPHIR PROJECT by Antoine Albeau & Marc Amerigo #windship #windassisted #sailship #windwings #maritime #shipping #cargo #hybrid #electricships #decarbonization #futurist #trendforecasting https://lnkd.in/gwnvk_uk

Great to see our UK National Clean Maritime Research Hub research by Jean-Baptiste R. G. Souppez and Jiajie Huang in rethinking traditional sail propulsion with a range of wind assisted technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions being picked up in this piece by Reuters about the new cargo vessel by NEOLINE. Read more about wind assisted technologies here https://shorturl.at/vZ9rj #maritime #cleanmaritime #shipping #decarbonisation #innovation

➡️ Neoliner Origin, a modern sailing Ro-Ro cargo vessel, built for French operator NEOLINE, has begun revenue service. #NeolinerOrigin #WindPower #WindPropulsion #Shipping #Maritime #WorldCargoNews https://lnkd.in/gsVaMC_y

The world’s largest cargo sailboat, Neoliner Origin, completed its first transatlantic voyage on 30 October despite damage to one of its sails during the journey. The 136-metre-long vessel had to rely partly on its auxiliary motor from a storm's damage shortly after departure. The vessel’s ability to perform fully on wind power was reduced but despite the difficulties, the ship showed strong resilience by reaching its destination with only a short delay. The vessel is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 to 90 per cent compared to conventional diesel-powered cargo ships.  https://lnkd.in/eYp9teAe