Costa Toscana Completes Second Shore Power Test in La Spezia

The Costa Toscana successfully carried out a second shore power test on Thursday at the Port of La Spezia, connecting to the system at Garibaldi Pier.

This follow up test comes after an initial trial in October and focused on key operational steps required for the electrical hookup, as well as confirming power supply levels, according to a statement from Costa.

The aim was to further validate the technical and operational conditions needed to enable cruise ships to reliably connect to La Spezia’s shore power system.

Technicians from the Eastern Ligurian Sea Port Authority, the first port authority in Italy to deploy shore power infrastructure, confirmed that the system functioned correctly.

Bruno Pisano, President of the Port Authority, said: “As announced in October, we continue with preparatory tests that will allow the shore power electrification system to be fully operational in time for the next cruise season. Today’s test was also successfully completed. I thank Mont-Ele and Shore Link, our suppliers, and Costa Cruises for allowing us to use their flagship to move forward on our path toward environmental sustainability.”

Roberto Alberti, SVP Chief Corporate Officer & Chief Financial Officer at Costa Cruises, added: “Costa Cruises reaffirms its commitment to decarbonization, with the goal of achieving a net-zero emissions fleet by 2050. The test carried out today marks a significant step forward in improving the environmental performance of our ships, both while sailing and during port calls. We are proud that this milestone has taken place in a Ligurian port, a leader in Italy in adopting innovative technologies that are essential to achieving climate neutrality goals. We extend our thanks to the Port System Authority and the companies involved for their valuable collaboration, which made the shore power connection with our flagship possible.”