Green Terms: Cold Ironing

When a container ship is docked and being unloaded at port, it still needs to power onboard lights, refrigeration, and auxiliary systems. Traditionally, this power has come from auxiliary diesel engines onboard the ships.

However, in efforts to reduce port emissions, Cold Ironing is gaining widespread acceptance. The process of Cold Ironing is essentially “plugging in” the ship to shore-side electricity to power the vessel’s onboard systems while the main engines are shut down.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) adopted regulations to require the majority of vessels at the state’s largest ports to stop using auxiliary engines and plug into shore-generated power (Alternative Maritime Power). These green initiatives significantly cut particulate matter and greenhouse gas emissions in surrounding port communities.

To learn more about how Cold Ironing is implemented across major West Coast ports, visit the following resources:

• Port of Long Beach Shore Power Initiatives
• Port of Los Angeles Alternative Maritime Power (AMP)
• Port of Oakland Shore Power Projects