An international consortium led by Stillstrom, a company backed by Maersk, has secured a €5 million grant under the EU’s Horizon Europe program to develop and test offshore charging infrastructure for vessels at anchor with engines running.
The project, named SPARK, is scheduled to launch in June and will be deployed near the port of Skagen, Denmark, one of Northern Europe’s busiest anchorage hubs.
The initiative aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vessels waiting between operations while continuing to run auxiliary engines for onboard power generation. The new system will allow ships to connect directly to shore-based electricity while remaining at anchor offshore.
The pilot phase will initially involve the connection of a single vessel to validate the technology under real operating conditions. The long-term goal is to scale the concept globally and establish similar offshore energy hubs in major maritime regions worldwide.
The consortium includes Stillstrom, Maersk, DNV, Aalborg University, MARIN, the Port of Malta, the Port of Skagen, and University College London.
Stillstrom CEO Christian Borum Jørgensen said anchored vessels running idle engines represent a major and often underestimated source of emissions:
“Idle vessels in coastal areas represent an obvious and immediate opportunity for maritime decarbonization.”
In addition to technical testing, the project will also evaluate the commercial viability and regulatory framework required for large-scale implementation across the shipping industry.
Port of Skagen CEO Willy B. Hansen described the initiative as an important step toward reducing emissions from idle vessels and accelerating the maritime sector’s transition to greener operations.
