Rhys BerryTechnology company ABB is to equip the 1984-built MS Artania cruise ship with shore power capability.
Upon its arrival in the Norwegian Port of Bergen in July, the vessel will be equipped with plug-in power capability in accordance with international ISO/IEC/IEEC standards, ABB said yesterday (25 April).
Chartered by German travel agency Phoenix Reisen and managed by Bernhard Schulte Cruise Service, the MS Artania is being fitted with ABB’s high-voltage shore connection technology without drydocking while underway in the Mediterranean Sea. After the work has been completed in May, the vessel will be able to use shore power from the grid for all electricity consumers while in port, replacing engines and cutting direct emissions to zero.
‘As more ports are making shore power available, we want to be at the forefront in ensuring our ships will be able to plug into the local grid for emissions-free port stays,’ said Johannes Zurnieden, Founder and CEO, Phoenix Reisen.
While emissions savings will depend on specific installations, ABB says that cold ironing typically allows a cruise ship to cut daily CO2 emissions by up to 35% if being plugged into shore power during 8-hour port call. This, says ABB, amounts to 13.77 metric tonnes of CO2 daily per ship – equivalent to the emissions from more than 1,000 combustion passenger cars.
ABB noted that the global shore power market for all ship types has been estimated to grow from $1.26 billion in 2021 to $3.16 billion in 2028.
‘The forecast relies on the willingness of merchant ship owners to follow precedent set by their cruise and ferry counterparts. It also depends on continuing the momentum among ports to invest grid-to-ship power facilities,’ the company said.
Ariane Morrissey
