Can Europe meet its 2030 shore power goals?

Under the FuelEU Maritime Regulation, container and passenger vessels over 5,000 gross tonnes (GT) must plug into shore power while berthed at core TEN-T ports. It’s a vital step toward decarbonising maritime trade. But as many are recognising, the path to compliance is far from straightforward.

Adding further pressure, the IMO’s proposed carbon pricing framework, set for 2027, introduces a two-tier levy with ships exceeding the base CO₂e intensity target paying $100 per tonne annually, while those surpassing a higher threshold will face a $380 per tonne charge.

The upshot of the new rules is that both EU and IMO regulations incentivise investment in low-carbon technology. OPS very much fits that bill. Yet, while ports like Rotterdam and Gothenburg are making real progress with multi-berth electrification and long-term planning, many smaller or regional ports, where most of Europe’s tugs, barges, inland waterway vessels and workboats operate, risk falling behind.

The infrastructure bottleneck

Installing OPS at scale is neither simple nor inexpensive. Costs range from €200,000 to €6 million per berth, depending on location and grid readiness. Even with funding, permitting, retrofitting and grid expansion can take years.

Many ports also face power limitations. Standard local grids weren’t designed to support multiple megawatts of consistent, high-load power – especially in populated areas where demand is already high. According to the ESPO, insufficient grid infrastructure is the most common barrier to OPS deployment, with many ports prioritising other electrification projects like EV charging or port equipment instead.

Add in grid congestion, weather-related instability and substation delays, and it’s clear that while OPS plays a critical role, the local grid cannot meet the sector’s needs alone.

Role of clean, grid-independent power

To meet emissions targets and bridge infrastructure gaps by 2030, ports need clean energy solutions which include localised systems that operate independently of the main grid. These must be scalable, flexible and deployable now. That’s where methanol-to-hydrogen reformers offer a powerful advantage.

e1 Marine has developed modular hydrogen generators that convert methanol and water into high-purity, low pressure hydrogen onsite and on-demand. This hydrogen powers PEM fuel cells, delivering clean electricity either onboard smaller vessels or shoreside to support port operations.

When paired with green methanol, our systems eliminate up to 99% of air pollutants (NOₓ, SOₓ, PM) and reduce GHG emissions by up to 85% compared to diesel engines. Because hydrogen is produced only as needed for the fuel cell, there’s no requirement for high-pressure storage or specialist bunkering, significantly lowering barriers to adoption.

Methanol is already globally traded, compatible with existing infrastructure and increasingly available in low-carbon and renewable forms – making it one of the most accessible alternative fuels. It’s a practical enabler for hydrogen-based systems that don’t depend on grid access or undeveloped hydrogen supply chains.

Ideal for smaller vessels and ports

OPS is a natural fit for cruise ships or large ferries with multi megawatt-scale power demands. But vessels under 2,000 GT – such as tugs, towboats, and barges – have very different energy profiles, typically requiring hotel loads of 50-150kW. For these vessels, full shore power connections are often impractical or disproportionately expensive.

Our onboard hydrogen generators allow these vessels to reduce emissions while maintaining operational flexibility. When paired with fuel cells and batteries, they support hybrid-electric propulsion and clean hotel power, whether at berth or under way.

Importantly, the same methanol-to-hydrogen units can be containerised and deployed onshore, allowing ports to offer grid-independent OPS, recharge electric vessels, and power auxiliary port equipment like cranes, drayage vehicles, reefers and lighting, without overloading the grid.

In constrained ports, mobile systems offer a bridge – enabling immediate GHG reductions while long-term electrification plans mature.

A hybrid, tech-neutral approach

Methanol-to-hydrogen systems work alongside OPS: they don’t replace it. Grid-based shore power remains essential for high-demand vessels and terminals. But relying solely on the grid isn’t feasible for all.

What’s needed is a hybrid, technology-neutral approach that reflects the diversity of vessel types, operational requirements and infrastructure readiness across Europe.

FuelEU Maritime explicitly allows for “equivalent zero-emission technologies”. And under the EU’s Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), there’s growing recognition of the need for modular clean energy solutions.

By treating OPS and alternative-fuelled systems as complementary, ports can accelerate compliance, reduce emissions, and relieve pressure on overburdened infrastructure.

What next?

Technologies, like ours, can help ports decarbonise without relying on the grid.

This isn’t just about compliance, it’s about resilience. Ports need scalable energy solutions that can be deployed quickly and deliver long-term value under evolving regulatory pressures.

OPS is only part of the solution. Europe’s clean shipping strategy should also support smaller ports and operators with flexible grid-independent technologies. These players may be modest in size, but their collective emissions are not. Supporting them with practical compliance pathways is essential to closing the readiness gap and unlocking meaningful progress.

The future of clean shipping isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s modular. It’s mobile. And with the right approach, it’s already within reach.