Cityscape of Toulon at sunset time
The port of Toulon, which handles more than 1.6 million ferry and cruise passengers annually, has chosen ABB shore-to-ship technology as a key step in its sustainability drive. The port in the heart of the city is used by 1,300 ferries and cruise ships every year and plays a central role in making the region even more attractive for companies and tourists. The port is also important for the implementation of the “Escales zéro fumée” plan of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (Région Sud PACA) region, which envisages the electrification of the docks of Toulon, Marseille and Nice to allow ships an emission-free stay to allow.
Ships that use shore power can switch off their diesel generators while they are at berth. As a result, shipowners save on fuel and maintenance costs and also use a cleaner and more sustainable energy source. Cruise ship and ferry passengers, as well as local residents, benefit not only from better air quality, but also from reduced noise and vibration levels while docked.
ABB is leading the consortium entrusted with the management and execution of the turnkey project. Commissioning is planned for 2023. ABB’s solution will provide enough power to meet the needs of three ferries arriving at the same time or one cruise ship. 50 and 60 Hertz connections are available for the ships. As part of the consortium, Eiffage Construction will carry out the civil works, while Fauché will be responsible for installing and connecting the equipment.
Thanks to the innovative concept of Toulon Provence Méditerranée Metropolis, the system, built with ABB equipment, can automatically adjust the energy mix for supplying the ships via the local electricity grid (Enedis) – using solar energy from a photovoltaic array and an energy storage system made of lithium batteries. The system will help smooth peaks in consumption while allowing excess solar energy to be stored. It will also be able to integrate other renewable energy sources such as fuel cells as they become available. www.abb.com
