Europe’s shipping lanes could run on power from offshore wind, study finds

So says a study by Stillstrom by Maersk, Baltic Energy Island and Port of Roenne that sets out how ferries, cargo vessels and offshore vessels could draw power from offshore windfarms to reduce fossil fuel dependence and costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate maritime electrification.

The whitepaper, ‘Bornholm Energy Island: Powering Maritime Electrification,’ demonstrates how offshore windfarms and grid infrastructure around Bornholm, Denmark, could serve as a blueprint for enabling large-scale maritime electrification – both in ports and at sea. The report concludes that offshore wind farms, energy islands, ports and ‘Offshore Power Zones’ could form the foundation of a new maritime energy ecosystem capable of supporting large-scale vessel electrification across Northern Europe.

According to the whitepaper, approximately 37,000 cargo vessels passing Bornholm each year are estimated to consume around 3 million tonnes of fuel and emit approximately 10 million tonnes of CO2 annually. Full electrification of these ships could require around 17 TWh of electricity per year, replacing roughly €2Bn in fossil fuel imports with domestic renewable power.

The whitepaper also introduces the concept of Offshore Power Zones, where vessels can access electricity directly at sea for hotel loads or battery charging. Together with electrified ports, these solutions could help establish an ‘electric shipping highway’ stretching from the English Channel through the North Sea and into the Baltic Sea.

Stillstrom chief executive Kristian Borum Jørgensen said, “Electrification is the next frontier in Europe’s energy transition. Power availability in the right locations and at sufficient capacity is the critical bottleneck. Our whitepaper shows how early investment in offshore wind, transmission infrastructure and charging solutions can close that gap and accelerate the shift to zero-emission shipping at scale. Strong policy frameworks, including EU ETS, FuelEU Maritime, and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation must keep pace to give shipowners and other key stakeholders the confidence to act.”

Baltic Energy Island chief executive Søren Møller Christensen said the Bornholm Energy Island could connect sectors that have traditionally been planned separately. “By linking offshore windfarms, transmission infrastructure and maritime transport, we can demonstrate how energy infrastructure can support both decarbonisation and competitiveness. We hope this study can both lead to concrete pilot initiatives on Bornholm and provide inspiration for similar solutions elsewhere in Europe and globally.”

For ports across Europe, access to sufficient power capacity is one of the key barriers to maritime electrification. The study uses Port of Roenne on Bornholm as an example of how future requirements for ferry charging, shore power and other electrification initiatives may drive new approaches to infrastructure planning. As a TEN-T Comprehensive port, Port of Roenne supports ferry routes, cargo operations, cruise calls and offshore wind activities, providing critical infrastructure for both local communities and international customers.

Port of Roenne business development manager Maja Felicia Bendsen said the whitepaper “demonstrates that maritime electrification is not only a question of vessels and batteries. 

“It is equally a question of infrastructure, grid capacity and long-term planning,” she said. “By combining operational experience from Port of Roenne with insights from offshore power and charging specialist Stillstrom and Baltic Energy Island, we hope to contribute to a broader discussion about how Europe can accelerate the transition towards low-emission maritime transport.”