Americas News
California Air Resources Board Extends Shore Power Requirements
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has approved new regulations extending the requirement to use shore power while at berth in the state's ports to more types of ships.
Container ships, reefers and cruise ships are already required to use shore power, and the new regulation adds car carriers and tankers to the list, CARB said in a statement on its website Thursday.
"This rule clamps down on air pollution from the largest ships while they're docked in California ports, and there are multiple ways terminals, ports, ship owners and operators can comply," Mary Nichols, chair of CARB, said in the statement.
"The action CARB took today will deliver cleaner air and public health benefits to all those who live in port-adjacent communities throughout California."
As well as improving air quality, using shore power also helps reduce shipping companies' greenhouse gas emissions by taking their power requirements at berth from the local electrical grid. But at the same time, this delivers no real overall reduction emissions unless the local grid uses renewable power generation.
The new regulation will come into force in 2023, CARB said.
