By
Kasturi Datta |
Port of Marseille Fos in France has boosted its shoreside electric power capacity so it can provide 60 hertz power connections to three cruise ships – each with a power requirement equivalent to a town of 13,000 people – simultaneously.
Following a testing phase that began in late 2025, the new connections will be available in 2026 and will allow cruise ships to turn off their combustion engines for the entire duration of their port call.
Rolled out as part of a ‘Smoke-Free Port Call’ initiative, the electricity provided by Port of Marseille Fos is 100 per cent renewable thanks to photovoltaic power stations installed on several port sheds and warehouses. As a result, the port has fulfilled European regulatory requirements four years ahead of a 2030 deadline.
The project required more than two years of work, including the upgrading of the port’s electrical network, the creation of a 40 megawatt Enedis substation and the installation of frequency converters to adapt the European power supply (50 hertz) to ship standards (60 hertz), as well as the roll-out of mobile connection systems specifically designed for these ships. Ninety per cent of materials and equipment were sourced from French industry and the remainder was manufactured in Europe. Key partners included Enedis, Bouygues Energie and engineering consultancy Artélia.
“Providing shoreside electrical connections for cruise ships is a genuine feat of technical prowess, made possible by the expertise and commitment of the teams at the Port of Marseille Fos,” said Christophe Castaner, president of the Port of Marseille Fos Supervisory Board. “In passing this new milestone, the port has confirmed its position as a pioneer in shoreside electrification, always staying one step ahead of the regulations. I would like to pay tribute to all the institutional partners and the companies that embraced this initiative and supported this groundbreaking project. This major investment is essential for the region; it enables us to reconcile the port’s appeal, environmental performance and sustainable improvements in air quality.”
The port committed nearly €200 million in investment in its Eastern Docks, with over 50 per cent of this funded through a partnership involving all the region’s institutional stakeholders, including the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, the Bouches-du-Rhône department, the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis and the City of Marseille.
“We are delighted that Marseille can once again demonstrate its pioneering spirit by moving towards a cleaner and more sustainable form of tourism with these new facilities in its port,” said Benoît Payan, the mayor of Marseille.