According to shore power company NatPower Marine, the commercial challenges facing publicly funded shore power projects in the UK ports of Aberdeen and Portsmouth should not be dismissed as local pricing anomalies, rather regarded as an early warning signal for the wider maritime decarbonisation strategy.
If shore power cannot be made commercially viable in flagship projects, confidence will erode among investors, shipping lines and port operators alike. And when confidence weakens, investment decisions pause. NatPower says that shore power is not experimental; it is a proven solution to one of shipping’s most visible pollution sources. Vessels running auxiliary engines at berth account for an estimated 30–35% of port-city air pollution, emitting NOx, Sox, particulates and carbon directly into surrounding communities. Plugging into grid electricity cuts those emissions significantly.
Stefano D.M. Sommadossi, Founder and CEO, NatPower Marine, said: “The question is not whether shore power works environmentally. It does. The question is whether the UK can make it work commercially and quickly.”
Projects in Aberdeen and Portsmouth were built with serious intent and public backing, but when industrial electricity prices surged, vessel operators calculated that diesel was cheaper than plugging in. Ports, effectively acting as energy retailers, were left exposed to volatility and underutilisation risk. Electrification only succeeds when electricity is the rational economic choice. Today, the UK’s pricing framework: high industrial electricity costs, grid charges and policy levies alongside relatively lower marine fuel costs; sends the opposite signal.
Reducing grid-related charges and ensuring clean electricity is prioritised for dedicated maritime ‘last mile’ infrastructure would materially change that equation. Without reform, the system inadvertently penalises the very behaviour it is trying to incentivise.
If that distortion persists, the implications extend beyond shore power. They affect fleet investment decisions, including propulsion.
True maritime electrification does not end at the berth. Shore power is one part of a broader transition that includes electric and hybrid propulsion systems. Shipowners considering those investments require confidence that clean electricity will remain competitively priced not only in port, but across operating models over decades.
Ships are long-life assets. Operators invest on 20–25 year horizons. They will not commit to electrified vessels without predictable energy pricing, corridor-wide infrastructure and a stable regulatory framework. If early projects appear commercially fragile, electrification, at berth and at sea, will be deferred
Sommadossi added: “European ports are not standing still. Many operate with discounted electricity regimes, VAT adjustments or structured energy support for green shipping. As carbon pricing expands, ports offering affordable plug-in and electric propulsion solutions will attract traffic.”
Shore power has largely been rolled out berth-by-berth, port-by-port. Shipping operates on corridors. No operator will electrify vessels for a single charging point if the rest of the route remains dependent on diesel. Electrifying entire corridors changes the equation. It embeds charging into voyage planning and aligns vessel and infrastructure investment. Without a network strategy, isolated assets risk becoming stranded.
NatPower believes that supporting electric shipowners through reductions in ancillary operating costs, and creating matched energy incentives for cargo owners who choose lower-emission shipping options would strengthen the commercial case across the value chain. Decarbonisation cannot sit solely with vessel operators; cargo interests increasingly influence route and carrier selection. Regulatory clarity also matters. Aligning UK carbon pricing mechanisms, including the introduction of an emissions trading framework and penalties consistent with EU regimes, would provide long-term signals that reward early adopters rather than disadvantage them.
Image: Stefano D.M. Sommadossi, Founder and CEO, NatPower Marine UK
