NatPower Marine, an independent clean energy enabler for the maritime sector , and Hong Kong-based shipowner Wah Kwong have launched a joint venture (JV) aimed at building and operating a dedicated network of electric shore power across ‘major’ ports in Asia.
As disclosed, the joint venture will go under the name of Wah Kwong NatPower Holdings. The JV is envisaged to operate under a Charge Point Operator (CPO) model, in which case Wah Kwong NatPower Holdings will fully fund, build and manage the infrastructure, without the need for upfront investment from port authorities.
It will reportedly set out to develop grid-connected infrastructure in ‘key’ locations in Hong Kong. However, the partners said there are plans underway to strike partnerships in Greater China as well as to build infrastructure across North Asian markets.
According to NatPower Marine, by ensuring vessels can switch off fossil fuel-dependent auxiliary engines and connect to shore-based power at berth to charge batteries for near-shore propulsion via low-emission electricity, the bipartite initiative will endeavor to ‘positively contribute’ to maritime decarbonization efforts in the specified regions.
As informed, the JV will launch its inaugural projects next year, targeting high-traffic ferries, container terminals and the cruising market in Asia. The vision is to deploy shore power infrastructure at more than 30 ports by 2030, with an emphasis on establishing Asia’s ‘first’ international clean charging corridor for ships for European and the United Kingdom destinations at the beginning.
NatPower Marine officials have further clarified that each facility is to be equipped with an integrated shore power system—including shore-side substations, battery energy storage and smart grid interfaces—to support both cold ironing and vessel propulsion charging.
Speaking about this new development, Stefano D.M. Sommadossi , CEO of NatPower Marine UK and Joint Director of the JV, commented that Asian ports were the “backbone of global trade” and directly on the “frontlines of climate action.”
In this sense, Sommadossi added that the partnership with Wah Kwong was important in terms of reaching the capability to provide the necessary infrastructure to support net-zero shipping at scale.
As noted, the joint venture reflects a privately funded model that NatPower Marine has already been deploying in Europe.
To be precise, in the United Kingdom and Ireland, the maritime player is investing £100 million (approximately $134 million) with Peel Ports Group, a major UK port operator, to electrify ‘vital’ terminals and provide shore power and ship charging infrastructure along the Irish Sea. This endeavor is anticipated to support more than 3,000 vessel movements per year.
Within the scope of this plan, NatPower Marine is also seeking to electrify at least 120 ports by 2030.
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Beyond the collaboration with Peel Ports, the company’s shore power investment in the UK is estimated to be a whopping £250 million, with an ambition to unlock as much as £10 billion in global investment.