The Port of Gioia Tauro has completed its first cold ironing operation on a mega containership. The successful test involved the MSC Mirja, a vessel with a capacity of more than 19,000 TEUs. After berthing, technical staff connected the ship to the port’s shore power system. Following system checks, the vessel shut down its auxiliary engines and operated entirely on electricity supplied from the port. The operation required approximately 7 MW of power. The Port Authority said the successful test confirms the full operational readiness of the cold ironing system. The project places Gioia Tauro among the first European ports to bring one of the key decarbonization infrastructures promoted by the European Union into operation. “Today, the Port of Gioia Tauro is taking a step that marks a historic moment not only for our port, but for the entire national port system,” said Paolo Piacenza, President of the Southern Tyrrhenian and Ionian Sea Port System Authority. “This result shows that sustainability can become concrete innovation and greater competitiveness.” Cold ironing allows ships to switch off their onboard diesel generators while alongside. The system reduces greenhouse gas emissions, improves local air quality and significantly lowers noise pollution. The shore power project forms part of the port’s wider decarbonization strategy. The Port Authority plans to increase available electrical capacity to 80 MW to supply berthed vessels. At the same time, Medcenter Container Terminal (MCT) is electrifying its own operations. The terminal is investing in automated stacking cranes (ASC) and upgrading its electric ship-to-shore (STS) cranes. Those projects will require another 80 MW. Together, the Port Authority and MCT plan to expand their connection to Italy’s high-voltage grid to 160 MW. According to the Port Authority, that level of power is comparable to the electricity demand of a city with more than 300,000 residents. It s