The port of Alcúdia makes its first low-voltage electrical connection to a vessel

Alcúdia

30/07/2026

Environment and CSR
Port-city
Technology and innovation
Transport and infrastructure

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has taken a new step in its strategy to decarbonise port activity with the first low-voltage electrical connection made to a vessel in the port of Alcúdia. The fast ferry SOM MENORCA, from the Menorca Lines shipping company, has become the first ship to use the port's electrical supply infrastructure, allowing it to turn off its auxiliary engines while in dock.

Thanks to this connection, known as “cold ironing” or Onshore Power Supply (OPS), the ship can be supplied with energy from land while it remains docked, thus reducing fuel consumption, polluting emissions and the noise generated in the port environment.

With this measure, the shipping company estimates an annual reduction of approximately 236 tons of CO₂ on the Alcúdia-Ciutadella route, equivalent to saving about 88,000 litres of fuel per year.

Next step

The connection was made using the low-voltage infrastructure provided by the APB in the port of Alcúdia, becoming the first operation of its kind in these facilities.

The next step will come next September, when the new medium-voltage connection becomes operational, an infrastructure that has meant a 2.8 million euro investment and that will allow for the onshore supply of electricity to ships with greater energy needs, significantly expanding the capacity of the system.

Environmental strategy

The electrification of the docks is one of the main lines of action of the environmental strategy of the Port Authority. Since 2021, the APB has been promoting an ambitious programme to equip its ports with OPS infrastructure to allows ships to turn off their engines during port calls and connect to the land-based electrical grid.

This action directly contributes to improving air quality, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and decreasing noise pollution in the port environment, thus strengthening the integration of ports with cities and improving the quality of life of citizens.

The APB's investment plan includes more than 100 million euros allocated over the coming years to the development of these infrastructures in the general interest ports of the Balearic Islands, which means consolidating the transition towards more sustainable, efficient ports aligned with European decarbonisation objectives.