As the shipping industry faces increasingly stringent environmental regulations, shore power provides a sustainable solution to meet emission reduction targets and comply with local, regional, and international environmental laws. Shore power contributes to global efforts to alleviate climate change and limit its impact on the environment. Let’s break down what is shore power and what are the benefits.
What is Ship to Shore Power?
Cold ironing or alternative maritime power (AMP) refers to ship-to-shore power. A ship uses diesel-powered engines and generators to provide power while at sea. However, once a ship docks at port or berth, it still needs electrical power to conduct its operations. Instead of relying on auxiliary engine power or diesel generators, ships can plug into renewable energy from the local power grid.
Benefits
Ships typically need to keep their engines running while docked to meet various operational needs, such as powering lights, ventilation systems, refrigeration units, and other onboard equipment. These auxiliary engines consume fuel and emit greenhouse gases that contribute to air pollution, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulfur oxides (SOx). Reducing emissions is one of the most critical benefits of shore power!
By reducing emissions at port or berth, we are creating improved air quality for local residents and workers who might otherwise be subjected to harmful pollutants, and by stopping noisy generators, workers also get a break in noise reduction.
Shore power is a sustainable solution that can save money in the long run. High-quality industrial-strength power cables and assemblies for shore power offer safety, and efficiency, and ships can save on fuel costs, and maintenance expenses while prolonging the life of their onboard generators.
Overall, shore power offers the shipping and marine industries a way to minimize their carbon footprint and embrace sustainable practices. By enabling ships to tap into renewable energy sources during docking, it replaces the need for onboard engines and generators. Consequently, this shift leads to significant reductions in CO2 emissions, noise, air pollution, and maintenance expenses.
