Shore Power: Why It Has to Happen

Readers of this newspaper probably have come across mention of the possible use of “Shore Power” in our maritime ports. They might have wondered – in that connection – why there’s even any discussion about something which most of us assumed was already in place.

Put simply, the idea that ships using our rather sophisticated ports are not connecting to the regular power grid, as almost all boats and yachts do in most modern marinas, is borderline absurd. Why would anyone want to rely on the kind of combustible fuel used by the ships themselves, which is just about the least favored by ecological norms, and must be transported across our waterways to the ships themselves?

1. The amount of power needed by vessels docked in port is substantial. “Some vessel types, such as cruise, container and refrigeration, can require significant power while at berth.”
2. In qualitative terms, shore power “can be effective as significantly reducing ship pollutant emissions at dock…”
3. In quantitative terms, “under the right circumstances when a vessel is connected to shore power, overall pollutant emissions can be reduced by up to 98% when utilizing power from the regional electricity grid, depending on the mix of energy sources.”

The change from onboard-generated power to shore power is not a newfangled idea. As per the U.S, Navy’s “Incentivized Shipboard Energy Conservation Program,” shore power “has been successfully used by the U.S. Navy for decades.”

It begs the question of why it is relatively new in the commercial sector.

In general, it is anomalous to see government ahead of the private sector in terms of technology. When I posed the question to a friend who is very involved in the private side of the maritime industry, he had no answer – other than the simple fact that shore power is not currently available in the Port of Miami or Port Everglades. It should also be noted that the Port of Miami is the busiest cruise port in the world, welcoming more than 1,200 ships and 5.6 million passengers each year.

The coup de grace to the use of diesel-powered auxiliary engines, as opposed to connecting the existing power grid to Miami’s port is the fact that oil tanks are not even located at the port itself, but must be ferried across from the nearby Fisher Island. This is a most dangerous game, from the environmental standpoint. The proposed adoption of shore power could significantly slash local carbon emissions and improve air quality throughout the region and ensure that generations of Floridians and tourists can enjoy a cleaner and healthier environment.

It’s good to know that Florida Power & Light Company has worked with the county, the port and the cruise industry to pursue shore power for more than a decade. This important initiative aligns with the company’s commitment to reducing emissions, growing renewable energy and protecting the environment for all Floridians.

Having worked as a consultant for EPA during my Masters in Public Policy studies (at Harvard’s JFK School) and having analyzed the effect of new sources of pollution from fossil-fuel plants, I wonder what more needs to be said in favor of shore power.

It is clearly an idea whose time has come – for all the right reasons.

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