Belgium launches first shore power facility for RoRo ships at Zeebrugge port, cuts emissions from docked vessels
marineinsight.comInternational Car Operators (ICO), a subsidiary of Japan's NYK, started operations at Belgium's first shore power facility for roll-on/roll-off ships at the port of Zeebrugge. The system allows docked vessels to switch off onboard generators and connect to grid electricity, cutting both carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions. The first ship to plug in was a Pure Car and Truck Carrier operated by NYK. Although the installation currently supports only one ship at a time, expansion is planned. The electricity supplied comes from ICO's own 11-turbine wind farm, making it fully renewable. The project is backed by the Flemish Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and sits within a broader sustainability program at the terminal that includes over 600 EV charging stations, 12,600 square meters of solar panels, and an automated parking tower for 10,000 vehicles. ICO also provided cabling and connection infrastructure so ships without onboard shore power equipment can still use the facility. This is the first commercial use of shore power for RoRo vessels in Belgium and the first time an NYK-operated PCTC used shore power while docked. ICO handles over 2.5 million vehicles annually through terminals in Zeebrugge and Antwerp. The move signals growing momentum for port-side electrification as a practical way to reduce maritime emissions.