SPIES Policy Recommendation Plan completed. Last partnermeeting SPIES

After a period of 18 months, the partners concluded the project during a final meeting in the new port house of Antwerp. Result of the project: a policy advisory plan for the roll-out of shore-based power in the North Sea region with 27 recommendations bundled in 15 clusters. 

The following clusters were demarcated: 

• Raise awareness of AFIR obligations 
• Adjust AFIR obligations with minimum length of stay. 
• Establish an independent European body for standardisation and management  
• Develop clear standards, especially for smaller marine vessels, with modern safety technologies 
• Expand and standardize payment options with apps and QR codes. 
• Invest in infrastructure tailored to ship type, length of stay and port situation, with smart grid solutions. 
• Ensure reliability through EU-wide Service Level Agreements (SLAs). 
• Ensure full interoperability so that every ship can connect anywhere. 
• Show real-time info about availability and malfunctions on navigation maps and platforms. 
• Protect data with uniform models, secure APIs and security by design. 
• Introduce EU-wide tax exemptions and develop transparent pricing models. 
• Drive innovation with integration into broader charging concepts, battery storage and mobile shore power solutions. 
• Start targeted campaigns against prejudice and raise awareness of energy consumption. 
• Offer priority and accessible financial support, including simplified AFIF schemes. 
• Promote collaboration with a central, GDPR-compliant ship register for secure data access. 

Interested in our policy advisory report?  You can download the report here.  

www.interregnorthsea.eu/sites/default/files/2025-06/Policy%20recommendation%20plan%20SPIES_EN_0.pdf