Five-year journey positions Portsmouth at heart of clean ports

Portsmouth International Port is set to welcome the GreenPort Congress for its 21st edition, following the UK’s first high-voltage, multi-berth, multi-user shore power system.

With the 2026 gathering just a week away, the south coast port has published a new 20-page white paper, Plugging in – Portsmouth’s shore power journey and the future of clean ports. The report sets out the port’s five-year experience and examines the wider challenges and opportunities surrounding shore power and clean-port development.

Mike Sellers, director of Portsmouth International Port, said: “Our white paper, jointly authored by the British Ports Association, covers not only Portsmouth’s own shore power journey and what other ports can learn from us, but also calls to action on what is needed for scaling and rolling out the technology nationwide.”

The paper draws on contributions from several organisations involved in Portsmouth’s Sea Change project, including Innovate UK, the University of Portsmouth, Swanbarton, Barter4Things, MSE International, Balfour Beatty, ABB and AtkinsRealis.

Representatives from the project team will share their experiences and lessons learned at GreenPort Congress, which takes place from 7-9 October 2026. Their insights are expected to provide practical guidance for ports looking to advance shore power and broader clean-port initiatives.

With Portsmouth’s pioneering infrastructure providing a working example of what can be achieved, the port is well placed to host discussions on how the sector can accelerate the transition to cleaner operations.

Book now or contact sales@greenportcongress.com for more information.