By the beginning of summer, the port of Piombino will be equipped to supply electricity to ships berthed at the port. The work, which began in 2024, is now nearing completion and represents a further step forward in the Port Network Authority’s commitment to ensuring sustainable development for its ports.
Reducing air pollution produced by ports has now become an essential requirement for the (Italian) National Port System. Cold ironing measures are one of the priorities in the Energy and Environmental Planning Documents drawn up by the Port Network Authorities.
Over the last few months, 2 km of tracks have been laid in Piombino to house the cables connecting the national electricity transmission grid to the port. A transformer substation has also been built, which represents the technological heart of the Cold Ironing system. Its purpose is to receive high or medium voltage from the national grid and convert it to the specifications required by ships. Junction boxes (or distribution boxes) have already been installed on the quay. They represent the physical and safety interface between the port’s electrical infrastructure and the ship. They act as supply terminals along the quay to enable the connection of high-voltage cables.
The total cost of implementing the cold ironing system in the port of Piombino amounts to approximately €26 million. This investment does not exclusively concern the Tuscan port. It’s part of a joint tender that also includes the port of Portoferraio, where work is also nearing completion.
The project is financed through resources from the PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan), specifically within the Complementary Fund for quay electrification.
In this video, produced in collaboration with Telegranducato, we take a look at the current scenario. Enjoy watching it .
Translation by Giles Foster
