Heysham Port ferries to pioneer UK's first green shipping corridor

NatPower Marine and Peel Ports Group are set to commence installation of shore power at Heysham in September 2025, with the first plug live in the initial phase and expansion across all four berths by 2026. 

The move will enable all Heysham routes within the Irish Sea to operate with zero emissions while at berth and at sea, supporting full electric propulsion of the ferry services, as the first part of the full electrification of the Irish Sea. The investment supports the UK Government’s industrial and economic growth objectives through more sustainable passenger and freight routes. 

NatPower Marine is further developing partnerships with other ports and shipping operators in the area. Once all four berths at Heysham are electrified, the infrastructure will enable vessels on Irish Sea routes to reduce CO₂ emissions by more than 10,000 tonnes per year, alongside significant reductions in NOₓ and SOₓ. 

The investment is expected to total around £10M (US$13.5), with NatPower Marine delivering the infrastructure and Peel Ports Group providing site and operational support.

The Heysham initiative forms part of a wider partnership between NatPower Marine and Peel Ports Group to roll out e-ship charging infrastructure across for operators in Great Britain and Ireland. This work will accelerate Peel Ports Group’s ambition for Heysham to become the UK’s first net-zero port, building on its existing efforts to reduce landside emissions by up to 90% and significantly improve air quality in the surrounding areas, according to a statement on the initiative.

"When fully rolled out across all Peel Ports Group locations, shore power could reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 166,800 tonnes every year, alongside 2,180 tonnes of NOₓ, 1,060 tonnes of SO₂, and 470 tonnes of methane," the statement said. 

Natpower Marine director marine Martin Olverson said: "Heysham is where the UK’s first green shipping corridor becomes real. One plug will soon become four, serving every Heysham route to Ireland and giving operators the confidence to move quickly on vessel electrification. We are building the backbone of a clean shipping network so ferry and freight lines can invest in the next generation of zero-emission ships." 

Peel Ports Group MD Lewis McIntyre said: "Shipping is already the greenest form of transport but there’s still a huge role for ports to play in decarbonising the supply chain. We can only do that with collaboration, innovation and long-term commitment from everyone involved, which this project embodies. However, this goes far beyond environmental goals. Ports are the lifeblood of UK plc and so many of our national economic and social ambitions rely on a thriving maritime sector."