The Port of San Diego is to double the shore power capability at its B Street and Broadway Pier cruise ship terminals.
This move will improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on and around San Diego Bay, the port said.
The Board of Port Commissioners has approved $4.6 mill in funding for the project, as well as various agreements related to equipment purchasing, construction and instalment of additional shore power equipment that will allow two cruise vessels calling on San Diego to connect to shore power outlets at the same time.
This means that the ships will not have to operate their diesel auxiliary engines while in port.
“This is a good investment and it is just one of our many clean air projects on the horizon,” said Chairman, Michael Zucchet, Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners. “In addition to having the infrastructure available for nearly every cruise ship to run off electricity while in port, we’re also installing a solar-powered microgrid at our Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal, adding more public electric vehicle chargers on the bayfront, and more. The Port is committed to being a good neighbour, which includes cleaner air for everyone who lives, works and plays on and around San Diego Bay.”
The Port’s goal is to complete the shore power expansion by September, 2022, four months ahead of recently updated California Air Resources Board (CARB) regulations that require all cruise ships calling on California ports to use shore power from 1st January, 2023.
Having two shore power outlets at the cruise ship terminals will result in at least a 90% overall reduction of harmful pollutants, such as NOx and diesel particulate matter, as well as a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
San Diego first installed shore power at the cruise terminals in 2010, beating a state regulation to reduce diesel particulate emissions from at least 50% of cruise calls by nearly four years.
Expanding shore power at the cruise terminals is among many of the Port’s clean air efforts.
