Protecting the environment
Air quality is a major public health concern in California which affects all sectors and in particular transportation. In 2008, California adopted a unique worldwide regulation mandating ships to connect to shore electrical power when docking at Californian ports: this is called “Cold Ironing” or AMP (Alternative Maritime power). Starting 2014, 50% of the vessels must be equipped with a target of 80% by 2020.
The objective is to suppress harmful emissions of diesel engines (whether main or auxiliary) when the ships are docked.
In order to achieve this goal, instead of using the ship’s power station, the electricity needed to power the equipment on Board (reefers, lighting, electronics…) is being provided by a 6600V connection to the ground.
Moreover, 6 ships deployed on transpacific services will be equipped with a “mobile container solution, making Cold Ironing (or AMP) a modular practice.
This mobile solution can possibly be moved onto other ships fitted upon request, thus making Cold Ironing a practice that is flexible and easy to deploy. As an example, if a ship were to change line, the solution can be installed on another ship.
The CMA CGM Group, involved in the preservation of the environement, installed the first device on the CMA CGM LIBRA (11 400 TEUs), deployed on the PEARL RIVER service.
The ship has been connected successfully on January 19th at the port of Long Beach Pier J for its first stop of the year, setting the CMA CGM Group in accordance with requirements of the CARB calendar (California Air Resources Board) and creating the 1st cold ironing connection of a ship to this Long Beach terminal. This project has brought together all the skills of the Group:
- CMA Ships for its expertise and management of the technical project (choice of technology, sourcing of material, technical and commercial negotiation with suppliers SAM and Hyundai, adaptation of the vessel in service);
- Safety Security Environnement Management and Operations (of PEARL/BOHAI services) for the overall coordination of the project and relations with the US authorities for compliance implementation;
- CMA CGM LOGISTICS and CMA CGM America for routing and loading of equipment (container, cables, connectors).
Source and Image Credit: CMA-CGM blog