Electricity demand forecasting in green ports: Modelling and future research directions

Recently, there has been growing attention on the decarbonisation of maritime transport, particularly regarding the landside operations at ports. This has spurred the development and implementation of strategies and policies aimed at enhancing the environmental performance of port activities. Among these strategies, the electrification of port infrastructure is emerging as a potential industry standard for the future. However, there remains a significant gap in understanding the patterns of electricity consumption in ports and how to forecast them accurately. To address this gap, this paper provides a review of the current literature on electricity demand in ports, examining practical applications, methodologies employed, and their key limitations. The findings indicate that, despite its importance in supporting the electrification process, electricity demand forecasting in ports has not received substantial attention in either industry or academic research, and there are no clearly established policies to support port authorities in obtaining the necessary data. Finally, the paper outlines potential directions for future research and how port authorities or local government agencies can contribute to these efforts. • Port electrification supports maritime decarbonisation goals. • Precise load forecasts are key to effective port electrification. • There is limited research on load forecasting in port environments. • Limited data availability and quality hinder effective forecasting in ports. • Stakeholder commitment requires targeted policies and incentive mechanisms.