Shore-to-ship power supply project is one of the largest environmental jobs – Ian Borg

Ian Borg has hailed the Grand Harbour shore-to-ship electricity project as “one of the largest” environmental projects to cut emissions when visiting ongoing works.

The Infrastructure Minister said that with an investment of €50 million co-financed with European funds, it was “one of the largest environmental projects the country has ever seen”.

He was visiting works being carried out by Infrastructure Malta on the dockside as the foundations for the first frequency converter station were being laid.

The project will help reduce emissions from berthed ships that will receive an electricity supply from shore rather then leave their engines on.

The first phase of the project, known as the Clean Air Project, is expected to be concluded in 2023.

Borg said the initiative is a showcase of how progressive Malta really is.

“We are aware of the importance and the dynamism that the Grand Harbour offers to our country and therefore we are seeking to utilise it for the best in order to move forward, in conformity with the EU’s targets for 2030 and 2050, towards more sustainability, cleaner air and a greener lung,” he said.

The project will reduce more than 90% of air pollution emitted by cruise liners and ro-ro ships at Malta’s principal port which is home to 17,000 families who live in the area.

Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi said €22 million were allocated from European funds. 

The new frequency converter station will include nine transformers ranging from 16 MVA to 21 MVA, three frequency converters and 53 switchgear units to convert electricity to the frequencies required by cruise liners and other ships.

Electrical engineers and technicians will install some 5.5km of power cables in the building currently under construction.

The structure will also include house chillers, backup power systems, fire safety equipment and other control and protection technologies.