To make the necessary preparations and achieve the EU 20250 decarbonization targets,  IG RiverCruise, in collaboration with the Geneva Graduate Institute, conducted a study on the shore power situation in Europe’s inland ports.

The report was prepared in June 2024.

According to the results, 58.7 percent of Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) core inland ports are equipped with at least one onshore power supply (OPS) infrastructure for river cruise ships. In contrast, the number of cross-TEN-T inland ports (ports not directly related to TEN-T but interconnected with it) equipped with OPS infrastructure is 36.7 percent.

IG RiverCruise emphasized that the statistics only reflect the available data since a significant number of port authorities did not respond to requests.

The collected data have revealed regional differences in the implementation of OPS and the varying stages of infrastructure development in EU inland ports. This highlights the necessity for focused investments in regions that are falling behind. Moreover, the study emphasizes the ongoing need to update data regularly and engage with port authorities to enhance the accuracy and relevance of findings. 

Moving forward, the project aims to enhance data collection from port operators and broaden the dataset. Subsequent phases will include presenting this information to stakeholders to foster participation and inform future investments under the European Cruise Investment Plan. This initiative seeks to advance the decarbonization of the river cruise sector and steer the industry towards sustainability.