EMEA News
Proposed London Cruise Terminal Urged to Consider Shore Power
Air quality campaigners are urging a local district government to consider establishing shore power at a newly greenlit passenger cruise terminal in London, Airqualitynews reports.
Though the Royal Borough of Greenwich Council has reportedly assured the public that the impact on air quality would be monitored, London Assembly Member Caroline Pigeon is requesting that London Mayor Boris Johnson intervene to ensure a thorough air quality assessment of the planned terminal at Enderby Wharf on the Thames River.
“Whilst I understand the results of recent dispersion modelling have indicated that emissions arising from vessels in the proposed port will not lead to any exceedance of national air quality objectives, I remain concerned about the impact on short-term nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations, particularly in light of the growing residential population in and around the Greenwich Peninsula," she said.
“In light of the above, I would ask you to re-assess the feasibility of using off shore power to supply vessels with electrical power at Enderby Wharf in order to reduce emissions at source."
She added that shore power is now in practice many other cities such as New York.
Current district council plans have already allotted £500,000 ($780,000) to “monitoring and improving air quality.”
However, the terminal has continued to come under fire from organizations such as the Greenwich Society, a local charity who has criticized the facility as increasing the number of large polluting ships in the area.
In July Ship & Bunker reported that Greenwich Council said that an environmental statement (ES) had been submitted with the planning application and that the proposed development "is acceptable in environmental terms."
