Italian ferry operator GNV has equipped two vessels with the capability to connect to shore power systems, a step that lets ships reduce emissions and noise while in port rather than relying on onboard generators.

The GNV Aurora has completed cold ironing tests at the Port of Barcelona, while GNV Excellent has passed safety tests for its shore power system at the Port of Sete in France, the company said in a LinkedIn post last week.

A final technical test on GNV Excellent is scheduled in the coming weeks. Once that work is completed, the vessel will be able to switch off its onboard generators while alongside and draw electricity directly from the local power grid.

Shore power, also known as cold ironing, allows ships to use shore-based electricity during port calls instead of running auxiliary engines. The practice reduces local air emissions, exhaust fumes and noise, and is becoming an increasingly visible part of shipping’s broader effort to cut port-side environmental impacts.

"We are investing in concrete technological solutions capable of significantly reducing emissions not only at sea, thanks to LNG, but also during port stays," Matteo Catani, CEO of GNV, said.

The company added that the next round of shore power tests will be carried out on GNV Polaris, GNV Orion and GNV Virgo as it continues expanding the technology across its fleet.