An international consortium headed by Stillstrom by Maersk has secured €5 million in EU Horizon Europe funding to trial offshore charging infrastructure for vessels anchored off Denmark.
The project, named SPARK, will develop and deploy an Offshore Power Zone near Skagen, where ships waiting at anchor will be able to connect to an offshore electricity source supplied from shore.
The concept is designed to reduce emissions from vessels that continue operating auxiliary engines while stationary offshore between port calls or cargo operations.
Stillstrom said the pilot installation will initially support charging for one vessel in a live operating environment, with the longer-term aim of scaling the system to other anchorage locations globally.
Partners in the consortium include Maersk, DNV, Dutch maritime research institute MARIN, Aalborg University, University College London, Port of Malta and the Port of Skagen.
Stillstrom CEO Kristian Borum Jørgensen said emissions from idling vessels near shore remain an overlooked decarbonisation opportunity and described offshore charging as a practical and economical solution for shipping.
The project will also study regulatory and commercial frameworks needed to support wider deployment of offshore charging systems across the maritime sector.
The SPARK project is due to begin in June and run for three years.
