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

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is giving passengers the opportunity to offset CO2 emissions from cruise travel, in cooperation with the climate protection organization atmosfair. The non-profit organization, under the direction of Klaus Toepfer, has developed a climate calculator for cruises. Hapag-Lloyd will assume 25 percent of the voluntary climate protection contribution for their passengers.

Starting in 2011, Hapag-Lloyd passengers can donate a voluntary financial contribution to aid a climate protection project. The cruise operator will cover 25 percent of the cost, based on the climate calculator for each cruise. Hapag-Lloyd has chosen to have the money collected support atmosfair’s project to supply electricity by means of solar lamps in India.

Using a climate calculator at www.hl-cruises.com/climate-calculator , passengers can ascertain their respective climate protection contribution in advance, and decide whether they would like to contribute 75 percent of this cost. The atmosfair calculation method has been approved by Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment. Contributions vary depending on the CO2 emissions and thus on the duration of the cruise, as well as the booked category. The full donation amount is passed on directly to atmosfair, who will then use the proceeds in climate protection projects financing renewable energies for households in India. For more information, visit www.atmosfair.de or www.hl-cruises.com.

From "Travel Pulse"

SOME BLUE MARBLE RULES

Good day fellow cruisers of the Blue Marble. Before we dive into any future posts, we need to cover some rules or “ism’s” that are hard at work on the Blue Marble.

Blue Marbleism #1 – “Stuff”. These are the materials that currently make up the Blue Marble that have been here since the beginning of time along with whatever additional celestial debris that has arrived here since. The Blue Marble is, at the end of the day, all that we have. There’s no “greener grass” that we know of elsewhere under the Milky Way.

Blue Marbleism #2 - “Quality of Life”. It appears that former cave dwelling hominids kicked off the quality of life movement that survives today (except perhaps for the Taliban who continue to live in caves due to their aversion to Hellfire missiles). Fundamental improvements like indoor plumbing, sewage treatment, refrigeration and “muscle cars” are all the domain of man and no other creature has that kind of leverage over its habitat. The archeological record shows that “home improvement” went into overdrive shortly after someone gave H. erectus his first Bic lighter give or take a few hundred thousand years.

Blue Marbleism #3 - “Environmental Baggage (EB)”. Forgive me Rene Descarte but, “I think, therefore I waste”. Examples of EB related stuff are: The aforementioned Bic; dwellings made from anything other than snow, ice or mud; the use of petroleum; the internal combustion engine; McDonalds; and bottled water for something to wash down that burger and fries. There are many other EB generators to cite (like cows, the print media and Indiana University tailgaters) but I just don’t have the blog space.

Blue Marbleism #4 – The “Biosphere”. A really neat system of checks and balances amongst the Blue Marble’s collection of ecosystems that (barring any significant celestial interventions) was kind of chugging along under Mother Nature’s watchful eye until you know who flicked his Bic. She has a limited tolerance for our EB.

Blue Marbleism #5 – “I want what you have”. This purely human “ism” is in contrast to the rest of the animal kingdom where, “I want you” (as in you’re my dinner) prevails. Unless some new science drops in on us, we all won’t be able to have everything. As such, years from now, some of us will likely return to the caves (Along with the vigilant Taliban. I don't mean necessarily “with them” as in targets of opportunity but you know, metaphorically.).

Blue Marbleism #6 – “Stewardship”. This is a process whereby a very, very small portion of H. sapiens (reported ancestor to H. erectus) has tried to minimize the impacts of #3.

Blue Marbleism #7 – “The Rabbit Hole”. #5 which has its roots in #2 soon creates more of #3 that, when unchecked, disturbs the equilibrium in #4 leaving it up to #6 to appease Mother Nature. Without stewards of the Blue Marble, Mother Nature will, I promise you, blindly exact her revenge regardless of species, race, creed, color or place of national origin. She will cough us up like a hairball.

So what does any of this have to do with “Cruising and the Environment”? You my fellow cruisers of the Blue Marble I believe are our future stewards. Only through cruising will you be able to witness some of the Blue Marble’s most magnificent and yet sensitive ecosystems. I also believe that the cruise lines you seek passage on share your concerns about sustaining those ecosystems for those who have not yet seen what you have seen. They should continually seek to exceed your highest expectations in doing so.

We all have to make it last as long as humanly possible. If you need a refresher as to why, see #1.