EU-Backed Electrification Targets Diesel Dependence At Skagen
At the northern tip of Denmark, the Port of Skagen, the country’s largest fishing port, is moving to cut emissions from pelagic landings by replacing diesel-powered generators with shore-based electric power.
Backed by EU funding, the project is positioned as part of the bloc’s wider push to accelerate the energy transition within the fishing sector, though its real impact will depend on fleet uptake and grid reliability.
The port handles large volumes of pelagic species including herring, sprat and blue whiting. Unloading operations for these vessels are energy-intensive and typically last between 10 and 30 hours per call, creating sustained demand for onboard power.
Diesel Use And Emissions Under Scrutiny
Until now, vessels unloading at Skagen have relied on diesel generators to meet these energy needs. According to the project partners, this has driven up fuel consumption and contributed to local CO₂ emissions, noise and air pollution, particularly during peak landing periods when multiple vessels are unloading simultaneously.
The environmental impacts extend beyond climate considerations. Continuous generator use affects air quality in and around the port, with knock-on effects for port workers and nearby residents. These issues have increasingly come under scrutiny as ports face pressure to demonstrate tangible environmental improvements rather than aspirational targets.
Three-Step Project Targets Shore Power Transition
In response, the Danish Pelagic Producer Organisation and the Port of Skagen have launched a three-stage initiative focused on shore power. The project involves the development of onshore electricity infrastructure, retrofitting vessels to allow connection to that infrastructure, and upgrading local grid capacity to handle sustained high loads.
Jesper Rulffs, Business Developer at the Port of Skagen, said the shift away from diesel was expected to deliver measurable gains. “By shifting pelagic vessels from diesel generators to shore power during landing operations, we achieve reductions in CO₂ as well as SOₓ, NOₓ and particulate emissions,” Rulffs said. He added that this would improve local air quality and “strengthen the long-term competitiveness of the port by offering cleaner and more efficient services to the fleet”.
Onshore power unit © Skagen Havn
Fleet Uptake Remains a Key Constraint
The project has required coordination between port authorities and vessel owners, each of whom faced different risks. The port needed certainty that vessels would actually connect to shore power once installed, while the fishing industry required assurances that sufficient and reliable electricity would be available.
So far, two pelagic vessels have been retrofitted with shore power connection equipment, with a third currently in progress. The partners say that once the system is fully operational, unloading operations for participating vessels will run entirely on electricity, eliminating the need for diesel generators during landings.
“For the Port of Skagen, this project highlights how strategic investment in onshore power supply can generate both environmental and operational benefits,” Rulffs said. Whether those benefits scale across the wider North Atlantic pelagic fleet will depend on how quickly additional vessels are converted.
Claims Of Operational and Environmental Benefits
Project partners estimate that individual vessels could reduce diesel use by between 3 and 8 percent annually. For the port itself, the claimed gains include lower noise levels, improved air quality and a stronger environmental profile as a landing hub for the pelagic fishing industry.
“The results of this project demonstrate that environmental performance and commercial value can go hand in hand,” Rulffs said. However, the figures cited remain projections, and longer-term data will be needed to confirm whether fuel savings and emission reductions meet expectations.
Skagen has set a goal of becoming CO₂-neutral, with electrification identified as a central tool. Electric cars and cranes are already in operation at the port, and shore power is being presented as the next logical step. As more vessels are retrofitted, the port argues that cumulative benefits will increase.
Questions Remain Over Replicability
While the Skagen project is being promoted as a model for other ports, its success relies heavily on EU funding, grid capacity and a relatively modern pelagic fleet. Smaller ports or those with older vessels may face higher costs and longer timelines for similar transitions.
For now, Skagen’s shore power initiative represents a concrete attempt to reduce emissions from pelagic landings. Whether it marks a turning point for the wider fishing sector, or remains a limited pilot with symbolic value, will become clearer as more vessels connect and performance data emerges.