More Shore Power Proposed in San Diego

Cold ironing at Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal was first discussed in 2010.

The Port of San Diego announced Wednesday proposals for additional cold ironing facilities that would see shore power at its Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal (TAMT).

Approximately 14 percent of the Port District's nitrogen oxide and 18 percent of Diesel Particulate Matter emissions come from ships at berth at TAMT, it said, so the use of shore power would achieve "a substantial reduction of overall emissions."

"Shore power can dramatically reduce air emissions of criteria, toxic, and greenhouse gas pollutants," it said, adding that "implementation of the proposed Project is also a necessary step for eventual compliance with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Shore Side Power Rule (CCR 2008), adopted in December 2007, which requires shore power infrastructure to be operational by January 2014."

The development is planned in conjunction with the Port's main tenant at the terminal, Dole Reefership Marine Services company (Dole), with the port paying for the land-side shore power infrastructure and Dole the vessel-side improvements.

Dole operates a total of four cargo ships in rotation that berth at TAMT and would retrofit two by 2014, when the land based facilities are expected to be operational for one vessel at a time, with the other two vessels retrofitted to receive the shore power by 2015.

Port of San Diego has prepared a Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration for the shore power project, per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), as well as given its Notice of Intent, and says members of the public, stakeholders, and other interested parties have 30 days to review.

The project was first discussed in 2010, along with the Port's first cold ironing project at its Cruise Ship Terminal, and at the time the TAMT cold ironing project cost was estimated at $6 million.

The $7.1 million Cruise Ship Terminal system went online in November 2010, and in May 2011 Port of San Diego reported it had made reductions of 22 tonnes of pollutants and 448 tonnes of greenhouse gases.