Shore power: Can cruise ships stop their engines in port? (Part 1)

To reconcile the need for electricity to maintain ship operations with reducing emissions and noise,Onshore Power Systems) have begun to be implemented. Environmental and noise pollution are very common problems in communities near busy ports, which has led various organizations, including the European Union, to consider improving the situation in the maritime-port sector.

Installing an OPS system in a port requires a series of infrastructures and facilities. The most important land-based infrastructures are:

• Connection to the electrical grid, which supplies high voltage (20-100kV).

• Local substation, which provides medium-voltage electricity (between 20-30 kV, depending on the port). It is owned by the electricity distribution company.

The facilities within the docks are as follows:

• Distribution center and control and measurement centers (CMM).

• Voltage transformers. Necessary to reduce the voltage from 20-30 kV to 11 kV, 6.5 kV, or even low voltage (600 V), depending on the type of vessel. Cruise ships typically operate at 11 kV, mega-ships at 6.5 kV, and medium-sized vessels at 6.5 kV.

• Frequency converter. In Spain, the electrical grid operates at 50 Hz. On most ships, the frequency is 60 Hz, so the frequency of the land-based grid must be adapted to that of the ship. This is optional, although highly recommended to make the OPS more versatile, capable of handling ships operating at different frequencies (50 Hz or 60 Hz).

• Network distribution system through the different existing or new conduits so that electricity reaches the connection panels on the dock.

• Connection boxes, structures where the necessary electrical outlets are located. These may be boxes buried in the dock or boxes on the surface.

• Cable management system or crane; these can be mobile or fixed, to raise and lower the cables, as well as position them correctly. They may be optional.

The necessary onboard OPS infrastructure, the responsibility of each shipping company, must provide a fast and secure connection to the existing port network. It typically includes the following elements:

• Connection box for the cables coming from the dock.

• Transformer, to adapt the port voltage to that of the ship, since ships usually operate at 400-450 V. On a ship, the grounding panel must be on both sides of the ship, in addition to the installation of an interconnection panel to the main electrical panel of the ship.

(OPS) can be mounted on docks, in containers, or floating on barges. Dock-mounted systems are the most common. They are fixed, require measuring equipment and power transformers for dock installation, and have a cable positioning device to help berthed vessels connect to the system.

Containerized power supply (OPS) systems are also used. SAM Electronics and Cavotec have developed containerized OPS solutions consisting of a cable trolley, distribution panel, transformers, and power control and monitoring systems. Modular containerized systems offer greater flexibility in terms of OPS placement onshore and can accommodate different vessel types (and therefore power requirements), while also reducing the need for dock space compared to fixed systems. However, unlike dock-mounted systems, containerized systems are not typically available for use on cruise ships due to cable management limitations and the location of the shore power connection on the ship's lower decks.

Barge-mounted OPS systems require little to no dock space. These systems are essentially self-contained power plants that provide energy to docked vessels. Barge-mounted systems typically use alternative or low-impact fuels such as LNG or fuel cells.

Currently, the main driver of OPS (Operating Procedures System) is the creation of a target-based regulatory approach to drive the reduction of ship emissions at the dock. A zero-emission berthing standard would be ideal, as it would help create greater certainty regarding investments in emissions reduction technologies and solutions, both among ports and shipowners, and would help overcome some of the existing technical barriers. This would require the acceptance and support of the maritime industry in general, and the cruise industry in particular, and genuine, close collaboration between government agencies and the cruise industry. Interestingly, ports that are municipally owned, or those in which the City Council participates, are much more likely to install OPS. Likewise, if there are three-way agreements between the City Council, the Port Authority, and the shipowner, the construction and use of OPS is much faster and more successful.

There are significant barriers to the implementation of ship power outlets in Spain, with great uncertainty and risks assumed by ports, and accumulated benefits for other administrations.

Both the price of electricity onshore and the price of marine fuels fluctuate, and different shipowners and operators (and, indeed, ports) will have varying purchasing power when negotiating prices. In other words, a shipowner might be able to reduce the cost of fuel they purchase through economies of scale, but it's difficult for them to apply those economies of scale to a ship operating company (SOC), partly because they won't own the electrical connection. This makes direct comparisons more challenging.

Shipping is an extremely competitive industry where shipowners, like most commercial organizations, will almost always choose the cheapest energy option. Therefore, since using auxiliary engines while the vessel is docked is the most economical option, without regulations to prevent it, it will be difficult for shore power systems (SPS) to compete. Only consumer-oriented niches of the shipping industry, such as cruise lines, may opt for shore power to improve their reputation or because customers demand it. Pressure from increasingly environmentally conscious investors and shareholders may begin to tip the scales in favor of SPS, but make no mistake, cost will remain the primary factor in choosing between using auxiliary engines or connecting vessels to an SPS when they become available.

It is very important to point out the high installation and operating costs of OPS facilities, which can range from 8 to 20 million euros, as a significant problem. Many ports indicate that they currently do not receive enough cruise ship calls annually to build a viable business case for a good return on this investment. However, with other types of vessels, such as ferries or roll-on/roll-off cargo ships, the business case can be viable.

The attached table shows that cruise ships demand the most power while in port, a factor directly related to investment. However, they have the shortest port calls, meaning they have the least amount of time to use the power supply systems (PSS), and therefore, the payback period is longer. Furthermore, a cruise ship's stay coincides with peak electricity consumption hours on land (in the morning), although weekend port calls would occur during off-peak hours. Seasonality is another important factor: cruise ship consumption is highest in the summer, coinciding with peak demand for air conditioning systems on land. Conversely, other types of vessels, such as ferries, have port calls spread throughout the year and require much lower peak power (they are empty in port). Their PSS systems are therefore much easier to amortize, given that they are cheaper and used more frequently.

Furthermore, the larger the cruise ship, the greater the maximum power, and therefore, the greater the port investment.

IS THE CRUISE SHIP FLEET READY FOR ON-SITE POWER?
On April 26, 2022, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) committed to the goal of using shore power when a cruise ship is docked by 2035. By that date, all cruise ships will be equipped with shore power as part of member shipowners' commitment to achieving net-zero carbon cruising by 2050. By 2035, all ships calling at ports with shore power outlets (SPOs) will be equipped to connect to them, allowing engines to be shut down and CO2 emissions eliminated while docked in port.
Currently, 40% of the global cruise ship fleet is equipped to operate with SPOs in the fewer than thirty ports worldwide (only 2% of the total) that have this infrastructure. Ninety-eight percent of new ships under construction or in the order book (up to 2028) will be equipped with shore power systems or will be ready to be fitted with them in the future. A study commissioned by Cruise Baltic and conducted by Bermello Ajamil, published in January 2022, examined shore power systems on board cruise ships of the four major cruise lines (Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Group, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and MSC), which at the time represented 83.4% of the industry's global capacity. These four lines will collectively build 247 ships by 2026, of which at least 56% will have shore power systems. An additional 16% of their fleets will be equipped with this technology, but there is still uncertainty regarding the suitability of shore power systems for 27% of the fleet, generally the older ships. Other shipowners suggest they will invest in this technology if their ships' itineraries offer it. Operational Port
Services (OPS) owes much of its current momentum to Princess Cruises. It was the pioneer in Juneau and other ports on the US West Coast. Princess Cruises was also a leader in creating an OPS standard for the cruise industry, a standard that will ensure all ports can accommodate all OPS-equipped ships without unnecessary changes to shore power or onboard facilities. Princess Cruises has been an integral part of the committee that developed the OPS standards, which are based on ISO 80005-1, published in 2019. It has also contributed to the development of OPS rules by some classification societies. In the summer of 2010, two Princess Cruises ships, the Sapphire and the Diamond Princess, were the first to receive the OPS notation from Lloyd's Register of Shipping. Princess was the first company to receive this type of classification. Each year, Princess ships connect to shore power stations (SPS) in various ports, primarily in North America, more than 300 times. Princess even monitors the time it takes for one of its ships to connect to an SPS and shut down its generators, which is approximately 40 minutes after completing the docking maneuver.
Like Princess, Holland America Line has extensive connections to Alaska and the US West Coast. Its entire fleet is equipped with shore power facilities. The Westerdam and Oosterdam were the first to be equipped with shore power to connect in Seattle in 2006. Their sister ships, the Noordam and Oosterdam, followed in 2007. In 2008, the Oosterdam, Westerdam, and Amsterdam used shore power during their calls in Seattle. In 2009, the Westerdam and Amsterdam connected to shore power in Seattle, while the Zuiderdam did so in Vancouver. Before the pandemic, in May 2019, the Rotterdam was connected to the 6.6 kV Kristiansand Power Station in Norway. All three ships in the Pinnacle series are equipped with shore power systems.
Within Carnival Corp., another leading shipowner in the use of shore power systems is AIDA Cruises. Since 2017, AIDA Cruises has used Europe's first cruise ship shore power system, the one at the Altona terminal in Hamburg, with the AIDASol. Currently, with the sale of the four smallest and oldest ships in the fleet, all eleven AIDA Cruises ships are equipped with shore power systems and are therefore able to use shore power while docked.

In April 2022, MSC Cruises signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Cruise Baltic to advance the use of Operations Platform Services (OPS) in the Baltic, with the goal of having its ships utilize this technology wherever available by January 1, 2024. MSC Cruises indicated at the time that 11 of its 21 ships, including all those delivered since 2017, are equipped with OPS technology. MSC Cruises also announced that, starting in late May 2022, two of its ships would be using OPS: the MSC Virtuosa at the new Horizon Terminal in Southampton, and the MSC Poesia in Rostock-Warnemünde.

Within the Royal Caribbean group, the Celebrity Apex was the first Celebrity Cruises ship to feature Onshore Power Station (OPS) technology. The second ship in the Edge series will thus be able to shut down its engines in ports that offer shore power connections. The three remaining ships in the series will also have this technology. Another brand in the group, Silversea, will receive the Silver Nova next year, which will be equipped with OPS technology. From its joint venture with TUI, all Hapag-Lloyd ships have shore power connections, and since August 2022, TUI Cruises has had a second ship in its fleet with OPS technology. The Mein Schiff 6 received shore power for the first time in Kiel. Previously, the Mein Schiff 4 had tested its shore power connection in the same port.

NCLH has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 across all its operations and value chain, along with developing short- and medium-term reduction targets. It has also committed to offsetting three million tons of CO2 equivalent over a three-year period while exploring long-term solutions, and has set a target for approximately 70% of its fleet to be equipped with OPS by 2025.

The cost of equipping a ship with the necessary facilities to receive power from shore can reach $1.5–$2 million. This complex modification includes: the electrical power management system; the safety system; the automation and control system; electrical protections; the construction of a new room to house all of the above; and, if necessary, a door in the hull to allow cables to be run into the ship. The entire retrofit project must be approved by the classification society, and the crew must be trained on the new system.

On July 27, 2021, Princess Cruises celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Juneau, Alaska, Operations Power Station (OPS), the world's first for cruise ships. Built in cooperation with the City of Juneau and Alaska Electric Light & Power Co. in the summer of 2001, this facility, constructed at Franklin Dock to harness surplus hydroelectric power from Alaska's waterfalls, has allowed Princess ships to shut down their engines in Juneau for the past 22 years. This has reduced the operator's emissions and carbon footprint, and fostered a strong partnership with the local community, which is deeply committed to preserving its pristine environment and natural beauty. The original installation provided peak power outputs of 7 to 11 MW at either 6.6 kV or 11 kV. In addition, the facility supplied steam to meet the heating demands of the galley, heating, and other areas, with a thermal output of 4 to 6 MW. The annual electricity demand was estimated at between 11 and 12 GWh.

The first ship to use this facility in 2001 was the 77,000 GT Sun Princess, with a capacity of 2,000 passengers. On the twentieth anniversary, the Majestic Princess (twice the size of its predecessor) made its inaugural call and connected to the OPS. Princess Cruises President Jan Swartz, the ship's captain, Dino Sagani, Alaska Electric Light & Power CEO Connie Hulbert, and Juneau Mayor Beth Weldon were in attendance.

The Juneau Public Service Partnership (PSP) has been a win-win situation for everyone—not just Princess, but also the generating company's customers and the residents of the municipality, all partners for the past 20 years. In addition to this investment, every dollar Princess spends on purchasing electricity in Juneau has been credited to a Cost of Energy Adjustment Account (COPA). This credit is used to offset any diesel generator generation costs in the quarter, and any excess funds are returned to Juneau residents as a rebate on their electricity bills. By the 20th anniversary, this has benefited Juneau to the tune of $8.5 million.

The Juneau Port of Origin (OPS) was the result of a joint multimillion-dollar investment to build a sophisticated power distribution system designed to move polluting emissions away from the port area, without any prior reference.

USA WEST COAST
Another pioneering port in Power Plant Operations (PPOs) was Seattle. In 2005, Seattle inaugurated a 20 MW, 60 Hz, dual-voltage (6.6 and 11 kV) PPO for cruise ships, designed to utilize surplus hydroelectric power in the area. This infrastructure arose from an initiative by Princess Cruises, which partnered with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, the Port Authority of Seattle, and Seattle City Light. This first installation was located in Terminal 30 and was moved to Terminal 91 in 2009.
A year later, in 2006, Seattle inaugurated a second 16.25 MW PPO, also operating at 60 Hz and dual-voltage. The main user of this infrastructure was Princess Cruises, which invested $1.8 million in implementing the necessary systems on its sister ships, the Diamond Princess and the Sapphire Princess. Currently, its use has increased and is largely driven by the cruise industry. During the 2021 Alaska cruise season, more than 80 ships called at Seattle, and 54% of them were equipped to use shore power. For the 2023 cruise season, the Port of Seattle expects at least two-thirds of the piers used by cruise ships to have shore power systems, including Pier 66. Currently, 60% of calls at the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91 connect to the shore power grid, including 100% of its two largest users, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises. The port hopes to offer shore power systems at all cruise ship piers in the near future.
Seattle was the first port in North America to offer shore power to cruise ships at two different piers. Seattle went beyond the requirements of regulations from over a decade ago and embraced the challenge of becoming North America's most environmentally advanced homeport. Its Power Supply Stations (PSS), particularly the one at Terminal 91 from 2009, have since become a standard replicated in other ports worldwide.
Vancouver, Canada, the other homeport for Alaska cruises, has had an PSS since 2009, although planning began in 2005. It is the result of a $9 million project undertaken jointly by the Government of Canada, the Commonwealth of British Columbia, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, BC Hydro, and the Port Authority of Vancouver. Initially offering only one outlet, a second PSS was added in 2013. It currently provides up to 20 MW, dual voltage, at 60 Hz.
With this installation, the Canada Place terminal became the first in Canada and the third in the world to offer electricity to cruise ships. Currently, through the EcoAction program, the Port Authority offers up to a 75% discount on port fees to vessels using the Power Stations (PSS). In addition, BC Hydro offers a very attractive fixed energy rate for vessels connected to the PSS to encourage their participation in the program, and this also provides an outlet for excess hydroelectric energy. However, BC Hydro reserves the right to interrupt service if necessary elsewhere in its network, such as to industries, residences, etc., so that its customers are not affected.
The first Californian port to install a cruise ship PSS was San Francisco, in 2010. It is a large, 20 MW installation, used primarily by Princess Cruises, which operates at 60 Hz and dual voltage (6.6 and 11 kV). It entered service in October 2010. This system is equipped with two cable positioning devices (CPDs) to service two vessels simultaneously at separate berths. It was installed by Watts.
The Port of San Diego has offered On-Site Power (OPP) systems since 2010, making it one of the first ports in California to have this type of facility. Its Port Authority planned to expand these facilities to the point where they could power two ships simultaneously, providing a maximum output of 20 MW at two voltages: 11 and 6.6 kV. On January 12, 2023, for the first time, two cruise ships, the Disney Wonder and the Insignia, simultaneously used San Diego's OPP facilities from their berths at the B Street Cruise Ship Terminal. According to the Port Authority of San Diego, the simultaneous use of the two OPP systems will result in at least a 90% reduction in pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, SO2, and particulate matter, as well as a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the port will thus comply with the California Air Resources Board's regulations, which essentially require all cruise ships docking at California ports to use electrical outlets starting January 1, 2023. The port invested $4.6 million in this project. San Diego has other initiatives underway, such as an electric tugboat and a CO2 capture system for ships without electrical outlets.

Carnival's Long Beach terminal has also had an operational power supply (OPS) system since December 2011. It has a maximum capacity of 20 MW at 60 Hz. This dual-voltage infrastructure (6.6 and 11 kV) was installed by Watts Marine Shore Power System with enhanced independent cable monitoring capabilities in anticipation of new IEC regulations. The new monitoring system allows for individual evaluation of each cable to ensure system integrity and the proper functioning and supply of electricity to the ship. Carnival expanded the Long Beach terminal's OPS during a 2017 refurbishment, enabling it to service two vessels simultaneously.

The World Cruise Center in San Pedro, in the Port of Los Angeles, has offered OPS facilities since 2011. Power is supplied from two Los Angeles Department of Water & Power facilities located at Piers 91 and 93, which can operate simultaneously supplying electricity to two vessels. It can provide up to 20 MW of peak power, at either 11 kV or 6.6 kV.

This terminal highlighted one of the biggest risks of shore power last summer. During a heat wave in September 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsome banned shore power in ports because the demand created by land-based air conditioning systems made the two uses incompatible, and because some fires had damaged power lines on land. Current legislation requires that 80% of cruise ships, container ships, and refrigerated vessels calling at the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland must use shore power or alternative technologies such as batteries or fuel cells.

USA EAST COAST
While virtually all ports on the US West Coast have operational power plants (OPPs), the same cannot be said for the East Coast, home to the world's top three cruise ports: Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Cape Canaveral. None of these currently have any operational PPPs.
The first known PPP on the US East Coast was the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, which opened in 2015. It was a 20 MW, 60 Hz, dual-voltage (6.6 and 11 kV) facility. Its primary user was the Queen Mary 2 on its transatlantic voyages. However, in December 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced that MSC would be basing its ships at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. However, due to the design of the terminal's OPS (Operating System Platform), the system has not become widespread since its debut by the QM2 in November 2016. In 2022, less than a third of the ships that visited that terminal connected to the system. The rest continued using their diesel engines. This will be the case for the MSC Meraviglia, one of the world's largest cruise ships, when it begins operating from Brooklyn this April. The ship will not be able to connect due to the OPS's location. In April 2021, Mayor Adams himself pledged funding to adapt and repair the terminal's OPS so that it could be used by more ships. However, this adaptation has not yet been carried out, although according to a spokesperson for the Economic Development Corporation, the order has been placed and the work is scheduled for the end of the year.
This OPS cost $21 million and was designed to remove the same amount of CO2 as is produced by 300 cars in a year, as well as 95 tons of NOx and 6.5 tons of particulate matter. But at that time, there was no standard for its installation, so its crane and location are only compatible with the Queen Mary 2 and some Princess ships, but not with the MSC Meraviglia. This is why it's so important that OPS installations be flexible and compatible.
A year earlier, the Halifax OPS in Canada had been inaugurated. It offers 20 MW at 60 Hz, dual voltage (6.6 and 11 kV). It was built by The Watts Marine, which completed the installation in September 2014. The system can service cruise ships calling at piers 20, 21, and 22. This project, which cost $10 million, is the result of cooperation between the Government of Canada (which contributed $5 million), and the province of Nova Scotia and the Port Authority (which each contributed $2.5 million). The OPS (Operating Power System) was connected to the Nova Scotia Power grid, which also developed ad-hoc tariffs. In 2015, OPS was used for 17 cruise ship calls. Another Canadian port, Montreal, is seriously considering installing OPS technology at its cruise terminal.
On February 6, 2023, Port Everglades announced that it had completed a study to equip its eight cruise terminals with OPS, assessing the capacity of the existing electrical grid and identifying the infrastructure improvements needed to deliver electricity to cruise ships calling at Port Everglades. The study was conducted by Moffatt & Nichol, a global consulting firm, in cooperation with Florida Power & Light (FPL), Carnival Corporation, Disney Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean. The study recommends equipping each terminal with a 16 MW OPS (Optical Power Station) so they can operate simultaneously according to the IEC/IEEE 80005 standard.
Port Everglades has been exploring the electrification of its docks since 2009, when Terminal 18 was built and the Oasis of the Seas was based there. To align with Broward County's climate change goals, Port Everglades is pursuing initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including the OPS installation, which, when completed, will eliminate 11,366 tons of CO2 and reduce NOx and SO2 emissions by 75% and 51%, respectively. This is equivalent to taking 2,470 cars off the road annually. The electricity will be generated by Florida Power & Light using a mix of energy sources, including natural gas, nuclear, solar, and wind. The estimated cost of the project, including the estimated cost of upgrades to FPL's supply and distribution system, will be approximately $20 million per cruise terminal, for a total budget of $160 million, partially funded through federal and state grants, and contributions from FPL, participating cruise lines, and Broward County. The installation will be carried out in phases: the first terminals could be completed by 2024, and the last by the end of 2027.

In February 2021, Miami Mayor Daniella Levine Cava spearheaded an agreement with Miami-Dade County, Florida Power & Light, and six cruise line operators (Carnival Corp., Disney Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Royal Caribbean, and Virgin Voyages) to install electrical power outlets at Miami's cruise ship piers. The goal was for Miami to become not only the world's largest cruise port but also the most sustainable. The first phase involved equipping Royal Caribbean's Terminal A and Carnival Cruise Line's Terminal F with electrical power outlets by fall 2023. Phase 1 adapted the port's electrical grid to meet the energy demands of the electrical power outlets that would supply the world's largest cruise ships, such as the Oasis class and the Carnival Celebration, including a new energy management system, new cabling, pre-installation of charging carts, and other necessary upgrades.

In February 2023, it was announced that the Danish company PowerCon AS would deliver Power Supply Units (OPS) to the Port of Miami Authority. When delivered later this year, they will become the world's largest combined shore power supply system. The PowerCon system will provide electricity to cruise ships docked at Terminal V (Virgin), Terminal F (Carnival), Terminal A (Royal Caribbean), Terminal B (Norwegian Cruise Line), and the MSC Cruises terminal. Each OPS consists of eight 20-foot containers housing all the necessary electrical components. PowerCon is delivering its systems as a subcontractor to the main contractor, Hypower Inc. With this infrastructure, PortMiami is positioning itself at the forefront of OPS benchmarks, sending a clear signal to the industry and the local community, and setting a prime example for other ports to follow.

USE OF OPS DURING THE PANDEMIC
One of the concerns raised during the pandemic was the potential environmental impact on ports where ships remained inactive for extended periods. Shipowners took this situation seriously, seeking an optimal solution. In Europe, the solution once again came from Germany. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises decommissioned its flagship, the Europa 2, but began using the Altona OPS in Hamburg in early May 2020. The classification society DNV GL certified the cruise line, marking the first time a cruise ship had used an OPS for such a prolonged period.
According to Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, the Europa 2 saved a total of 600 tons of CO2 in just the first 30 days using the Altona Cruise Center OPS. To achieve this goal, the Port of Hamburg Authority had to adjust the connection, as the Europa 2 requires a lower voltage than the other cruise ships using OPS in the port. The Europa 2 consumes 2.2 MW/hour when disarmed. The electricity used was supplied by Hamburg Energie and was 100% from renewable sources, meaning that the Europa 2's stay in port was virtually CO2 neutral. By using OPS, the ship's emissions were reduced to almost zero.