Energy management company Schneider Electric will hold a seminar for ship operators and all other interested parties at the UK Chamber of Shipping in London on Tuesday.
In a statement promoting the event, marine efficiency consultant Fathom said that shore power connection, commonly known as ‘cold ironing’, alternative marine power (AMP) or onshore power supply (OPS), can save a lot of fuel.
The majority of modern ports are not equipped to provide shore power connections and most ships do not have the facilities to plug into shore power, Fathom said.
However, in recent years, significant steps have been taken to promote shore connection technology.
By 2025, it will be mandatory for European ports to implement shore connection systems.
Progress has been hampered however, Fathom said, by disagreement over who should invest in the technology first, ports or ship owners?
“To break this cycle,” Fathom said, “it is imperative that ship owners and operators work collaboratively with ports to implement this technology which has considerable benefits for all of those involved.
Schneider Electric have developed a shore power connection system for ports called ShoreBoX, which it describes as “a plug and play system that uses efficient grid frequency converters and a modular design.”
It is adaptable to the different power demands and electrical frequency of ships and, due to a static grid frequency conversion system, claims to transfer just the energy needed at any given moment, no more.