First UK charging network for electric maritime vessels

The UK’s first e-marine hub of shore-side charging facilities for electric maritime vessels is a fact in Plymouth.

The UK’s first e-marine hub of shore-side charging facilities for electric maritime vessels is a fact in Plymouth.

Concept

A series of high-power DC electric charging stations has initiated for electric maritime vessels. Particularly, in prominent locations along the perimeter of the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park.

The stations include.

  • The world’s first 150kW charging facility at Mount Batten
  • UK’s first 75kW site at Queen Anne’s Battery
  • A 25kW installation at the Barbican landing stage

Further installations are now being developed along the city’s waterfront, with additional sites also being identified in Devon and Cornwall. Maintaining a view to providing electric charging facilities every 10 miles along the county’s southern coastline.

Contribution

Note that, the charging network creation commenced through the Marine e-Charging Living Lab (MeLL) initiative. It is a consortium led by the University of Plymouth in partnership with Plymouth City Council, Princess Yachts Limited, and Aqua superPower

It directly responds to the UK government’s Clean Maritime Plan for maritime net-zero. Additionally, embraces the drive to increase the UK’s current percentage of clean electricity to 100% by 2035.

Moreover, the design aimed to offer commercial enterprises of all sizes. Considering a sustainable, cost-effective, and time-effective means of making the switch from diesel to electric power.

Research by the University carried out during the planning stage of the project, has shown the network has the potential to reduce port emissions by 96.60% in the next 30 years. As a result, it could significantly cut the sector’s impact on the climate, and reduce the damage caused by harmful gases to both human and environmental health.

“The Clean Maritime 2050 strategy underlines how crucial it is that the sector moves forward, and includes a number of ambitious net-zero objectives. That includes the increased electrification of commercial vessels, but if there is no infrastructure in place you cannot support the growing number of businesses looking to employ this technology”, 

Sarah Fear, Project and Knowledge Exchange manager at the University of Plymouth and lead of the MeLL project

Source: University of Plymouth

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