Malta secures €12.35 million in EU funding for onshore power at Freeport

Malta has secured €12.35 million in EU funding for the second phase of its onshore power supply project at the Malta Freeport, following a competitive selection process under the European Commission’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Transport Call.

The project, led by the Economy Ministry together with the Malta Freeport Corporation, is among just four proposals approved out of 20 submitted by EU member states.

This second phase will see high-voltage shore power connections installed along South Quay Terminal 2 and West Quay Terminal 1, enabling docked vessels to shut down their auxiliary engines and plug into cleaner, land-based electricity.

The total investment in this phase amounts to €18.4 million, with the EU co-financing nearly 70% of the cost.

The project builds on the first phase, already underway, which is co-funded through the EU’s Just Transition Facility and focuses on providing shore-side electricity to vessels berthed at North Quay Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Together, the two phases form a comprehensive strategy to deliver port electrification across the Malta Freeport, part of the TEN-T Core Port of Marsaxlokk.

This marks Malta’s fourth onshore power supply initiative, with two other projects taking place at the Grand Harbour in Valletta, also designated as a TEN-T Core Port.

In a statement, the ministry highlighted the environmental benefits of the project, noting that shore-side electrification significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution by eliminating the need for ships to keep engines running while docked.