Shoreside power, or ‘cold ironing’, is the process of plugging in vessels to shoreside electricity sources allowing ships to turn their auxiliary engines off while at berth. By turning their engines off, and thus cutting emissions, shore connections can support considerable emissions reductions in ports – of both air pollutants and noise. It can also help vessels save money on fuel.
Shoreside power, or ‘cold ironing’, is the process of plugging in vessels to shoreside electricity sources allowing ships to turn their auxiliary engines off while at berth. By turning their engines off, and thus cutting emissions, shore connections can support considerable emissions reductions in ports – of both air pollutants and noise. It can also help vessels save money on fuel.
Whilst there can sometimes be technical or economic barriers to providing shore power, Fraserburgh Harbour have made significant progress in rolling out shoreside power connections across the port, and completed a third phase investment in 2019.
The port have financed the roll-out, with the initial phase attracting some support from Scottish Enterprise, Aberdeenshire Council and Marine Scotland. Both pelagic and whitefish fishing vessels, which previously did not have the ability to plug into shore power, are now able to access shore power and switch off their diesel engines.