San Diego Launches Shore Power System with Oosterdam

The Port of San Diego is now the second port in California and fifth in the world to use shore power at its cruise ship terminals. The system known as cold ironing is the process of switching from a ship’s onboard diesel power supply to shore-based electrical power while at dock. This process reduces polluting air emissions from the ships since electricity from the grid is much cleaner than generating energy from diesel engines.

The Port of San Diego officially celebrated the installation of the $7.1 million system during a media event on Dec. 11. Port executives, including Commissioner Michael B. Bixler, County Supervisor Greg Cox, and officials from the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District and San Diego and Electric (SDG&E) helped dedicate the system during a ceremony at the B Street Cruise Ship Terminal.

“This is an important moment in the port’s history. This installation puts the Port of San Diego into a very exclusive club,” Bixler said. “Clearly, we’re on the cutting edge of this technology, and this dedication underscores the port’s commitment, and the commitment of our board, to address environmental issues.”

Cox said the shore power installation is a joint effort. “This project was made possible by the assistance of the county’s Air Pollution Control District,” Cox said. “The district provided $2.4 million in state grants from the Carl Moyer Program. The benefit to the county’s air quality and public health is substantial.”

Holland America Line’s Oosterdam was the first of the cruise lines to power up using the shore power system. “We can provide up to 12 megawatts of power,” said Michelle White, manager of the Port of San Diego’s Green Port Program. “That’s enough to power a large college campus.”

Initially, one cruise ship can be powered from shore at a time. Eventually, the system will be able to power two cruise ships simultaneously, either at B Street or at the auxiliary terminal, the Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier. For more information, visit http://www.portofsandiego.org/.

From "Travel Pulse"

14 December 2010

ENERGY FOR GREEN PORTS - VENICE HOSTS INTERNATIONAL FORUM

An Exhibition Congress organized by VTP Events as an important date for stimulating debate among companies, researchers, academics and technical experts on new technologies and solutions for using ports and harbours to produce renewable energy.

What energy sources of low environmental impact can be used in ports? And how can we efficiently and sustainably use them? These are the focal points of “Energy for Green Ports”, the new exhibition‐congress taking place in Venice (Italy) on the 4th and 5th of February 2010 in the Conference Centre and the exhibition area of the Cruise Terminal of Venice.

Organized by VTP Events, a company owned by Venezia Terminal Passeggeri S.p.A. (which has been managing the passenger terminal since 1997), this event provides a significant meeting opportunity for companies, researchers, sector operators, academics and technicians who want to find out more about the new technologies and solutions available to produce renewable energy in port areas.

It is a highly topical subject as ports occupy large surface areas. Also, in light of the new European, national and regional rules, these areas can be exploited for building innovative energy systems as resources which supply power to not only the port areas and their related transport means (electric wharfs used to power vessels moored with their engines off, allowing sizeable reductions in emissions and noise pollution), but also the vicinity, as is already happening in some pilot projects.

“Energy for Green Ports” is divided into two sections:
A conference programme with an international panel of speakers who will be updating participants on the latest topical environmental issues. The programme includes sessions on: “Planning energy supplies and consumption”, “Costs and Benefits of mature alternative energy sources”, “New technologies in renewable energy and their uses”, “Roll‐out Strategies for the Green Ports” and “Setting up a panel for a national Green Ports programme”.

An exhibition hall devoted to technological innovations in renewable energy, with an area concentrating on “green” technologies (solar‐thermal, photovoltaic, wind, hydrogen, biomasses and biogas), and one on low‐consumption building construction solutions, microgeneration and teleheating. There will also be a review of ideas dedicated to the world’s new ports with a view to matching environmental awareness with energy recycling and saving.The event has the patronage of Venice’s Port Authority, the Veneto Region, Assiterminal (Italian Port Terminals Association), Medcruise (The Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports), Confitarma (Italian Ship owners Confederation), Assomarinas (Italian Tourist Ports Association) and Assonautica (Italian Yachting Association).

From Cruise Industry News
27 Novemebr 2010