Portsmouth International Port has reached a new milestone in the rollout of its shore power facilities.
Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady became the first cruise ship to make a commercial connection to the system.
The cruise ship was subsequently joined by Brittany Ferries’ Guillaume de Normandie, marking the first time two vessels have used the port’s shore power facilities simultaneously.
Shore power allows vessels to switch off their engines while alongside and draw electricity from the local grid, cutting emissions from ships during port stays.
The infrastructure was developed with funding from the UK Department for Transport and Innovate UK.
