BREEZE

Reducing pollution from ships is a key part of the European Commission’s “Fit for 55” package, which aims for a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Maritime transport, a significant source of EU emissions, is under increasing pressure to become more sustainable. To support this transition, the EU is introducing key regulations: - FuelEU Maritime Regulation: Promotes renewable and low-carbon fuels in shipping. - AFIR Directive (Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation): Requires EU ports to install clean energy infrastructure, such as Onshore Power Supply (OPS). OPS, or Shore-Side Electricity (SSE), lets ships plug into the grid while docked, eliminating the need to burn fossil fuels. Starting in 2030, many EU ports will be required to offer this cleaner energy option. However, scaling up OPS faces several challenges: - High costs for ports, especially those needing major upgrades. - Insufficient grid capacity, requiring national infrastructure improvements to meet OPS demand. - The cost of fossil fuels remains lower than electricity, discouraging voluntary use by ships. This is where the BREEZE project comes in. BREEZE unites 9 partners from 8 European countries to support the accelerated rollout of OPS across Europe, aiming to meet the 2030 requirements ahead of time. The project focuses on: - Sharing best practices through workshops, site visits, and discussions. - Studying technical and economic solutions for OPS deployment. - Exploring policies and financial tools to make electricity more competitive than fossil fuels. - Improving European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) policies to help cleaner ports. By fostering collaboration among port authorities, energy providers, and policymakers, BREEZE helps create a future where clean energy is standard in European ports, reducing emissions from ships and making ports more sustainable ahead of EU mandates.