Portsmouth Port

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Some good views of the port.


 

[Shipping-Forecast]

Mike Sellers, Port Director, Portsmouth International Port, is now Chair at the British Ports Association - www.britishports.org.uk.

"I’m delighted to be taking over as BPA Chair at such an important time for the industry. The BPA has long been an important voice for the industry, especially in the last few difficult years.
The sector has dealt with various challenges such as Brexit, the pandemic and the current economic climate and so now is the time when we as an industry can work with the government to help contribute to its economic and ‘levelling-up’ agenda and sustainability goals. I have been in the ports industry for over three decades and it’s great to see that policy makers now appreciate what it is we do as a sector."

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PIP have agreed with with SSEN (Scottish and Southern Energy Network) to supply extra power to the the port enabling multiple shore power connections at the same time. SSEN are supplying an initial 15MVA (approx. 15MW) to be installed by the time Brittany Ferries St Malo & Normandie II start sailing from the port. Also says "... the remaining fleet (i.e. BF) being converted to shore power by early 2027."

The power upgrade will cost £3m with further investment for the actual shore supply connections.

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To give an idea of the challenges for shore supply and charging electrification, here are the main points from a presentation by Mike Sellers on electrification of PIP a couple of years ago.

• A study of PIP by the National Grid identifies that the port needs around 50MW of supply capacity by 2030 and as much as 140MW by 2050. The Bulk Supply Point that feeds half of Portsmouth (south of Fratton) can only take 100MW. The Grid Supply Point in Lovedean can only handle a maximum of circa 650MW, and that feeds everything south of Lovedean from Titchfield to the West and past Chichester to the East.
  
• There is not enough supply capacity at the port gate to supply the larger cruise ships – for example the port’s power supply totals 4.32MW; just one medium size cruise vessel carrying 2000 passengers requires around 6MW, the largest vessels closer to 10MW.
  
• Current regular visiting ships are not equipped to take shore power.
  
• The infrastructure to supply the power does not currently exist in the port
  

Original Timetable

By the end of

• 2021 - Shore supply study for BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) focusing on Berth 1 and scalability across port
  
• 2022 - Installed shore supply on Berth 1 using BESS or direct grid connection
  
• 2024 - Installed shore supply on Berths 2, 3 & 4 to supply power up to 10MW to hybrid ferries and cruise ships using BESS or direct grid connection. See SSEN 15MW connection agreed above
  
• 2025 - Fully complete 10MW supply Berths 3 & 4 
  
• 2028 - Install 6MW supply on Berth 5 for new hybrid Condor vessels using BESS or direct grid connection.
  

Shore Power Options

• Lithium-ion battery BESS for one berth, no upgraded grid supply under £2m.
  
• Floating flow battery on barge, named Project BlueStor. 1MW prototype has £150k of government funding.
  
• 14 mile direct grid connection from National Grid from Lovedean substation, cost £20-50m, require government support.
  

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A few more things to consider

The Brittany Ferries' hybrids will have an 8MW connection for charging and shore supply.

Wightlink are looking at all electric vessels in next five years, so upgrade from Lovedean would benefit PIP, Wightlink and possibly the Naval Dockyard as well.

Tangentially, thinking of Dover and quote dated after the report above from DCFP (Dover Clean Ferry Power) “Currently the National Grid has a contract to supply the Port of Dover with a comparatively modest 4.5MVA of energy, although there are longer term plans to increase this to 20MVA.” Dover Ferry Port's supply is almost the same as PIP, with plans to increase to 20MVA, whereas PIP is looking at 50 & 140MW.

[SilverDot]

PIP have agreed with with SSEN (Scottish and Southern Energy Network) to supply extra power to the the port enabling multiple shore power connections at the same time. SSEN are supplying an initial 15MVA (approx. 15MW) to be installed by the time Brittany Ferries St Malo & Normandie II start sailing from the port. Also says "... the remaining fleet (i.e. BF) being converted to shore power by early 2027."

The power upgrade will cost £3m with further investment for the actual shore supply connections.

Actual cost £26.1m with PIP providing £3m, government grant of £18.5m, the rest borrowing.