Dual-Port Shore Charging Build Goes to Market
New design-and-build contract for shore charging at two ports highlights growing public investment in electric vessel infrastructure across Europe.
New design-and-build contract for shore charging at two ports highlights growing public investment in electric vessel infrastructure across Europe.
Follow Tenderlake on LinkedIn for concise insights on public-sector tenders and emerging procurement signals.
Ports at Virtsu and Kuivastu are preparing for electric vessels, with a long-term design-and-build contract for shore charging systems that signals sustained investment in cleaner maritime infrastructure.
On 2nd December 2025, aktsiaselts Saarte Liinid published a contract notice for the Shore Charging Systems Construction project. The buyer is seeking the execution of design and construction works for shore charging systems for electric vessels at Virtsu and Kuivastu ports, with the detailed technical scope set out in the public procurement documents.
The notice confirms that both the design and the physical construction of the new shore charging systems will be delivered under a single contract. Bringing design and works together in this way suggests that the buyer wants a coherent solution at each port, rather than separating engineering from delivery. The contract is framed as design and construction works, rather than simple equipment supply, so the appointed contractor will be responsible for both planning and building the new systems within the port areas.
Although the procurement text released so far is brief, it points to a long-term commitment. The long-term nature of the contract, combined with the twin-port scope, implies that Virtsu and Kuivastu are intended as key locations for electric vessel operations, backed by sustained infrastructure investment.
The exact configurations, capacities and connection points are contained in the procurement documents rather than the summary notice. But the headline requirement is clear: new infrastructure on shore, purpose-built to supply power to electric vessels while they are in port.
Aktsiaselts Saarte Liinid’s plan sits within a broader move towards shore power and FuelEU Maritime policies across Europe. Ports and transport authorities are beginning to commission sizeable electrical systems at the water’s edge, designed specifically to serve ships and other vessels.
On 16th September 2025, Grand port fluvio maritime de l'axe Seine - Direction territoriale du Havre launched the Electrical Connection System for Ships contract. That project covers design, execution and maintenance of an electrical supply system for container ships at the Quai des Amériques, along with training and support for commissioning. It shows another port authority commissioning a complete electrical connection system for container ships as part of its own shore power plans.
Energy upgrades at ports are also visible in Constanța. On 4th July 2025, a contract titled Supervision Services for Electricity Project sought high-quality supervision during the design, execution and warranty period of a programme to modernise electricity distribution infrastructure at the Port of Constanța. Later, on 27th November 2025, another notice for Consultancy for Railway Infrastructure Modernization in the same port area underlined how electricity and rail links are being upgraded together to improve service quality, safety and competitiveness.
Seen alongside these projects, the Virtsu and Kuivastu shore charging systems look less like an isolated upgrade and more like another element in a steady build-out of electrical infrastructure across European ports.
The Virtsu–Kuivastu contract’s combined design-and-build scope mirrors approaches now common in land-based charging projects. Many recent tenders bundle design, supply, installation, commissioning and even maintenance into a single package.
In June 2025, the county authority in Cluj issued the Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles tender for Cluj Arena. That contract covers design, supply, installation and commissioning of charging stations, along with all necessary materials, site preparation, testing, maintenance and documentation. The city of Sibiu followed in July 2025 with its Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Project, combining design and execution of electricity supply works for 45 charging stations across the wider metropolitan area.
For electric buses, a similar pattern appears. In August 2025, company PROMET d.o.o. launched a Electric Bus Charging Infrastructure procurement on a turnkey basis, covering both project-technical documentation and construction works. In November 2025, PaderSprinter GmbH in Germany went out to market for Charging Infrastructure Procurement that includes planning, delivery, installation and maintenance of charging systems at its depot for electric buses.
Other authorities are experimenting with different delivery models. On 5th August 2025, Helsingin kaupunki, kaupunkiympäristön toimiala, published a notice for an Electric Vehicle Charging Stations service on city-owned land. There, the supplier is expected to take responsibility for the entire service from design to maintenance, while the city provides space and permits “without financial involvement”, according to the notice. By contrast, the Virtsu and Kuivastu project is framed as a straightforward public procurement for design and construction works at two ports.
County-level projects show similar ambitions. In Vaslui County, a notice dated 26th November 2025 for Charging Stations Installation in Vaslui covers the supply and installation of 14 charging stations across seven locations, including fast charging options and an emphasis on reliable, state-of-the-art equipment backed by comprehensive warranty-period service.
In the Department of Sarthe in France, a framework agreement published on 2nd October 2025 for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure spans supply, installation, maintenance and supervision of charging points across multiple municipalities. Partenord Habitat, a housing organisation, has gone a similar route with an October 2025 agreement for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations, covering supply, installation, operation and maintenance with a defined annual budget ceiling.
Taken together, these notices show public buyers building charging networks through integrated contracts that span design, works and, in many cases, maintenance. The Virtsu and Kuivastu shore charging systems fit squarely within that pattern, even though they serve vessels rather than road vehicles.
Investment on the vessel side is emerging in parallel. On 25th July 2025, a German operator issued the Electrification of Passenger Ship tender to convert the vessel “Wega II” to electric motorisation. While that project focuses on a single ship rather than onshore systems, it highlights that electrification efforts are targeting not only shore-based systems but also the vessels themselves.
Urban bus fleets are seeing similar shifts. The city of Białystok launched a July 2025 contract for the Supply of Electric Buses and Chargers, covering 60 new buses and 15 charging stations plus staff training and warranties. In October 2025, ORAS VOLUNTARI went to market for Electric Buses and Charging Stations for public transport, explicitly making the purchase contingent on securing financing. And on 25th November 2025, Burgasbus EOOD sought the delivery of two 18‑metre Electric Buses for Public Transport, including charging stations, installation, testing and training.
Smaller-scale projects are also appearing. On 3rd November 2025, Obshtina Gabrovo issued a tender for Electric Vehicle and Charging Station Delivery for a municipal Children’s Milk Kitchen, covering not only the vehicle and charger but also registration and warranty services. In Suceava, a notice of 6th August 2025 for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Supply links the installation of 28 charging stations directly to the goals of promoting electric vehicle use and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Against this backdrop, the Virtsu and Kuivastu shore charging contract can be read as part of a broader wave: public-sector buyers investing simultaneously in electric vehicles, vessels and the infrastructure that keeps them running.
The contract notice starts a process that should lead to the appointment of a contractor to deliver both the design and construction elements of the shore charging systems at Virtsu and Kuivastu. Once a supplier is in place, attention will shift from procurement to implementation, from detailed designs through to on-site works at the two ports.
As more information emerges from this and similar procurements, observers will be watching how technical standards, contractual models and long-term maintenance obligations evolve across port electricity projects. For now, the Shore Charging Systems Construction notice underlines how individual ports are starting to position themselves for an era of electric vessels and shore-based power.
Follow Tenderlake on LinkedIn for concise insights on public-sector tenders and emerging procurement signals.