Dockside power for ships examined

Worldwide standardization of pollution-cutting practice is goal

At first mention it doesn't sound feasible: Dock a giant container ship at the Port of Charleston and plug it into electrical and water supply, the way a weekend boater might hook up at a marina.

But that concept, called "cold ironing," already is used at some ports and could become standard practice worldwide.

Traditionally, ships have run their diesel engines to provide power while docked. Recent technology enables newer ships to shut down their engines and plug into a shore-side electrical supply, reducing air pollution.

The problem, however, is that countries use different standards and specifications for utilities.

To help get everyone on the same page, the State Ports Authority recently welcomed a group of 36 maritime industry executives to Charleston from across the United States, Asia and Europe to discuss establishing a worldwide standard for cold ironing.

The two-day International Standards Organization working group brought to the table an important issue, said Bernard S. Groseclose Jr., SPA president and chief executive.

"Everybody's talking about it," Groseclose said. "It's definitely at the forefront."

The SPA plans to provide cold ironing technology at its new terminal under development at the former Navy base in North Charleston, scheduled to open in 2012.

The agency's other initiatives include a partnership with the state Department of Health and Environmental Control to cut emissions at its existing and future shipping terminals, and also to cut emission levels from its diesel-burning machines by 10 percent by switching to ultra-low-sulfur diesel.

Ship-generated air pollution is drawing increasing attention. In September environmentalists in California sued the federal government, complaining that the Environmental Protection Agency missed its deadline to set emissions standards for ship engines.

And this month, a study by the American Chemical Society found that as many as 60,000 people living in coastal communities along major shipping routes died in 2002 from lung and heart problems as a result of emissions from ships.

The ISO's goal is to formulate a specification so that when vessels call at ports around the world that provide cold ironing services, the method of delivery will be the same.

"You try to establish one standard for all, but sometimes you find that's a little difficult to do," said Eric Caris, assistant director of marketing at the Port of Los Angeles, who attended the sessions in Charleston.

For example, Europe and the U.S. operate on different electrical systems — alternating current here, direct current in Europe — which means many ships must be equipped for both systems.

From a business standpoint, steamship lines would like port operators to provide the technology, at the shippers' cost. The ports, however, would prefer that shipping lines provide the equipment.

There's also the issue of terminology, Caris said. While "grounding" and "earthing" essentially are the same process, they may have a different meaning in Japan than in Sweden. An ISO standard must be just that, Caris said: an international standard.

The working group plans to convene again in February, probably in Europe, and have a draft document completed by mid-2008, Caris said.

Reach Peter Hull at 937-5594 or phull@postandcourier.com.