ABB has won the contract to provide a complete shore connection installation for the DEME Base in Vlissingen, the Netherlands. Shore connection enables the diverse fleet of dredgers, offshore construction and support vessels to avoid carbon emissions by shutting off their engines and drawing on shore power while at berth. Headquartered in Belgium, DEME is a leading contractor in the fields of offshore energy, environmental remediation, dredging and marine infrastructure.
DEME has set itself a goal of cutting 40 percent from the greenhouse gases generated by its fleet by 2030 compared to 2008, moving significantly ahead of the revised emissions reduction target set by the International Maritime Organization in 2023. ABB will install shore power to connect to suitably equipped vessels calling at Vlissingen’s DEME base by the end of 2024, as part of the “Temporary Shore Power Grant Scheme for Marine Vessels 2022 – 2023”, a government-supported initiative that stimulates the construction and use of shore power facilities in Dutch seaports.
Offering a key route for ship owners to make measurable progress towards decarbonization, connecting to shore power for energy needs while at berth is expected to become mandatory at main EU ports listed in the trans-European transport network from 2030, under FuelEU Maritime regulations.
“This project is part of DEME’s wider strategy to integrate its sustainable business goals with daily operations,” Marc De Boom, Department Manager, DEME Base Vlissingen. “DEME has high ambitions regarding CO₂ reductions, and we are proud to be the first Belgian marine contractor who achieved the highest level of the CO₂ performance ladder, which is widely used in the Netherlands and Belgium. We are happy to collaborate with ABB, an experienced and reliable technology leader with a solid track record in shore connection installations.
Awarded after a private tender process, the DEME contract provides a strong example of the way ABB aligns with local interests to ensure that its solutions are flexible in helping meet decarbonization milestones. Ultimately planned as a 2MvA converter, ABB’s shoreside shore connection will run at a lower 1.75MvA until the local grid can deliver sufficient capacity between the substation and the power outlet at the dock. In a straightforward installation, the entire solution will be housed in two ISO containers – one 40-ft unit and one 20-ft unit.
“We are delighted to have secured this significant shore connection contract and look forward to working with DEME to support its ambitious commitments for maritime decarbonization,” said Frank van Delden, Account Manager, ABB Marine & Ports. “Given the diversity of the DEME fleet, this is a key reference for our shore power technology, showing that almost any type of vessel can avoid emissions by connecting to shore power at the quay.”
Established as the market leading supplier of shipside shore connection solutions, ABB delivered the world’s first shore power supply system to the Swedish port of Gothenburg in 2000 and the first shipside installation in 2001. Today, ABB shore connections can be installed on a standardized, pre-assembled basis for integration with all shipboard electricity consumers.
ABB’s Process Automation business automates, electrifies and digitalizes industrial operations that address a wide range of essential needs – from supplying energy, water and materials, to producing goods and transporting them to market. With its ~20,000 employees, leading technology and service expertise, ABB Process Automation helps customers in process, hybrid and maritime industries improve performance and safety of operations, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future.