Ian TaylorThe Board of Directors of the Bilbao Port Authority has awarded a €50 million contract for the second phase for its dock electrification programme that will provide infrastructure for the connection of vessels to the power grid.
The works have been awarded to the joint venture formed by the companies Sampol Ingeniería y Obras, Comsa Instalaciones y Sistemas Industriales and Montajes Eléctricos San Ignacio.
In a statement sent to ship.energy yesterday (30 April), the Port of Bilbao said that the second phase of the programme is centred on Docks A1, A2, A6, AZ3, and Getxo 2 and 3, which house the terminals for containers, ferries, ro-pax and ro-ro traffic, and cruise ships.
As part of the works, the power lines will be upgraded for the facilities to provide 30 MW of power. Three distribution centres, eleven transformation centres and eleven onshore power supply (OPS) connection points will be set up on the docks.
The electrification of the docks of the Port of Bilbao is being carried out in phases. The first phase, already underway, was awarded in December 2023, and focuses on the electrification of Dock A5 of the central breakwater of the expansion. It is expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2026.
The second phase of the works is scheduled for completion within 24 months, once the construction project has been drawn up and approved. The works will be part-financed by the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF Funds) and the rest by the Bilbao Port Authority itself. An €80 million loan has also been secured with the European Investment Bank (EIB), part of which will be used to finance this project.
In total, the planned investment in for the Port of Bilbao’s electrification project will exceed €100 million.
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Image: Port of Bilbao
Rhys Berry
