Aarhus plugs in its first container ship, a first for Denmark
the future.
Denmark's biggest container port has plugged in its first container ship. The new shore power plant at the container terminal in Aarhus has been connected to a ship for the first time, the first installation of its kind in Denmark.
The test ship was Dettifoss, operated by Icelandic carrier Eimskip. It stayed connected for just under ten hours and took about 6.5 MWh from shore, with the plant performing as planned. More ships will be tested over the coming weeks, and the plant is due to enter daily operation in January 2027.
At a glance
| Aarhus container terminal shore power | |
|---|---|
| Port | Aarhus Havn, at APM Terminals Aarhus |
| First connection | Eimskip's Dettifoss, October 2026 |
| Energy delivered | About 6.5 MWh in just under 10 hours |
| Capacity | Up to four container ships at the same time, around 3 MW per large ship |
| Grid side | Transformer station and power management by PowerCon |
| Quay side | Mobile cable system by ShibataFenderTeam and igus |
| EU support | Connecting Europe Facility, DKK 39.8 million |
| Daily operation | January 2027 |
A plug that moves along the quay
Container ships do not tie up in the same spot every call. They vary in length, and the position of their shore connection changes from ship to ship. Instead of fixed outlets, Aarhus uses a mobile cable system that runs along the quay, supplied by ShibataFenderTeam and igus, so the connection can follow the ship. PowerCon supplied the transformer station and the power management system that feeds it. When fully built out, the plant can serve up to four container ships at once.
For the ship, it means switching off the diesel generators at the berth. For Aarhus, it means less noise and fewer local particle emissions next to the city.
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