European ports face a complex and high-risk transition as new rules will soon require ships to draw electricity from shore while alongside, TT Club has warned.

EU Regulation 2023/1804 will require seagoing container and passenger ships calling at Trans-European Transport Network core ports to use onshore power supply from 2030. From 2035, the requirement will extend to any EU port where OPS is installed, not just those on the TEN-T network.

OPS, also referred to as ‘cold ironing’, allows ships at berth to switch off conventional engines and draw electricity directly from the quay, cutting emissions and improving air quality in ports and nearby communities.

Progress to date has been limited, according to the insurer. By mid-2025 only around 20% of the OPS connections needed across Europe had been installed or contracted. Cruise terminals had reached about 38% of target, while container terminals stood at roughly 11%.

Investment commitments are increasing, however. Italy has earmarked €700m for OPS projects, while both the Netherlands and the UK have pledged several hundred million euros each. TT Club said this growing momentum must be matched by detailed technical and risk assessment to avoid costly missteps.

Harry Palmer, risk assessment manager at TT Club, commented: “Ports and shipping lines are under increasing pressure to cut emissions, improve air quality and meet climate commitments. Cold ironing is becoming a central part of that effort. But cold ironing is not just a matter of installing plugs on the quay. Supplying steady power to multiple ships simultaneously will require major grid upgrades, large transformers and specialised connectors. Port authorities, port owners and terminal operators need to begin detailed technical, financial and safety assessments now and engage all relevant stakeholders early."

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