Limassol Port Cold‑Ironing Project Stalled by Grid Connection and EU Funding Hurdles

Limassol port’s plan to provide shore‑side electricity to ships—known as cold ironing—has stalled because key administrative steps remain unfinished. Transport Minister Evi Tsolaki said the ministry has requested a plot of land for an electricity substation, but applications to connect the project to the national transmission grid have not yet been filed. Technical, economic and environmental studies under the EU‑backed DecarbonLim programme are advanced, and the project has secured support from the Electricity Authority, Cyprus Ports Authority and major operators. MP Fotini Tsiridou warned that further delays could jeopardise the country’s eligibility for European funding, which is essential for the project’s construction. No construction timetable has been announced, and the next steps depend on land allocation, grid‑connection filings and securing EU financing.