Japan to install zero emission chargers for ships in Hanshin Port and Keihin Port by 2025

Several Japanese stakeholders have established the Promotion Council for Zero Emission Chargers for Ships to promote the widespread use of standardised shore-to-ship power stations, according to one of the companies involved, E5 Labs Inc on Tuesday (18 July).

The other members are Marindows Inc., e-Mobility Power Inc., CHAdeMO Association, The Japan Ship Technology Research Association, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., and Development Bank of Japan Inc. 

In October 2020, Japan declared “carbon neutrality by 2050” and expressed its aim to “reduce emissions by 46% by 2030 compared to 2013 levels, and aim for even further reductions to 50%.” 

In island country Japan, port areas are pivotal in the international supply chain, with over 99% of exported and imported goods passing through them. These areas are also the heart of coastal industrial zones, where power plants, steelworks, chemical industries, and others, responsible for about 60% of the country’s CO2 emissions, are concentrated. Intensive efforts towards decarbonisation in these port areas are seen as effective and necessary to promote Japan’s carbon neutrality by 2050. With this,  “shore-to-ship power supply,” which involves supplying electricity from land to ships, is attracting attention as a concrete measure to reduce CO2 emissions

The Promotion Council, in line with the government’s policy and as a world-first initiative involving the member companies, has recognised the effectiveness of zero emission chargers (onshore power) for ships to promote decarbonisation in maritime and port areas and the expansion of renewable energy use and has united in purpose.

Taking into account the various issues in the ship power supply business in the early stages of EV ship diffusion, the participating members will play their respective roles and through an All-Japan collaboration centred on the seven companies. The members aim to develop and maintain a strategic ecosystem for zero emission chargers for ships, and to strategically engage in efficient operations and effective utilisation. 

The aim is to improve user convenience, an increase in the number of ships using the service, the independence of the ship power supply business, and the further development of chargers. Ultimately, this will realise zero emissions from ships in port areas, the spread of EV ships, the expansion of renewable energy use, and improvements in global and local environmental issues.

For the first phase, by fiscal 2025, the companies will install prototypes of standardised universal zero emission chargers for ships in Hanshin Port and Keihin Port, which are international strategic ports where domestic and foreign freight and ships are concentrated. 

They will then expand these chargers to ports, fishing ports, marinas nationwide, and overseas. The City of Kobe, Port and Harbour Bureau and City of Yokohama, Port and Harbour Bureau are participating in the Council as observers.

Specific initiatives

1. Development of standard universal zero emission charger system for ships. The system will consist of the three elements shown in Figure 1 and will be a standardised specification that transcends company boundaries.

• Onshore power station (standardised charger and billing system)
• Shipboard power receiving module (standardised and modularised hardware and software)
• High-capacity communication between ship and shore (standardized high-capacity communication system within the port)

2.   Surveys and recommendations on the establishment of standards and rules
3.   Creation of social implementation projects to promote diffusion
4.   Information collaboration between participating companies
5.   Mutual utilization of zero emission chargers between participating companies
6. Public relations and promotional activities to promote the diffusion of zero emission chargers
7.   Cost reduction through joint procurement
8.   Content creation for “Zero Emission Charger × X”
9.   Building a sustainable ecosystem, including reuse

Photo credit: Roméo A. on Unsplash / e5 Lab
Published: 19 July, 2023