With the completion of the shore power installation on the Volendam, the entire Holland America Line is now shore-power ready. The Volendam completed the installation in Vancouver.
The company began converting its ships to have shore power in 2006 with its four Vista-class vessels; its Pinnacle-class vessels (Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam) were all built with shore power systems installed, and the Signature-class vessels (Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam) were launched with a partial installation that has now been completed.
As part of its sustainability initiatives, Holland America Line uses shore power, also known as cold ironing, to reduce emissions and noise while in port. Shore power works by plugging the ship into a power source at the dock, and this power source allows the ship to operate all of its onboard electrical equipment without using the engines.
“At Holland America Line, our legacy of exceptional onboard service extends to caring for the planet, and having our entire fleet capable of connecting to shore power is a tremendous milestone in our sustainability efforts,” said Gus Antorcha, President of Holland America Line.
“We have committed to reducing our carbon intensity by 20% by 2030 compared to our 2019 baseline, and we are on track to achieve that goal through a range of initiatives, including onshore power. We expect more global ports to adopt onshore power capabilities in the future, and we are ready to work with them to connect.”
Accessible ports
The ports that Holland America Line vessels visit using shore power include Juneau, Alaska; New York; San Francisco and San Diego, California; Seattle, Washington; Halifax, Montreal, and Vancouver, Canada; Bergen, Ålesund, and Kristiansand, Norway; Kiel, Germany; and Shanghai and Xiamen, China. In 2024, the Port of Rotterdam is expected to be ready for shore power supply, enabling Holland America Line vessels to connect at another of its key ports.
Company's environmental initiatives
In addition to onshore energy, Holland America Line demonstrates its commitment to responsible environmental practices through a comprehensive fleet-wide program that emphasizes waste reduction and recycling, compliance with all international environmental guidelines, and low-emission propulsion technology.
Holland America Line has begun efforts to significantly reduce non-essential single-use items, and single-use plastics are not allowed on board.
“ We have made the changes to the packaging in a thoughtful way to reduce our ecological footprint while maintaining the excellent experience of our customers ,” Antorcha added .
To reduce food loss and waste, Holland America Line has installed biodigesters that use oxygen, water, and microorganisms to break down and liquefy uneaten food and return it to nature sustainably. These will be installed across the Holland America Line fleet by the end of 2023 to reduce the overall volume of organic waste.
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