Port of Oakland Adds New Equipment to Cut Ship Emissions

Port of Oakland Californian Port of Oakland has commissioned new equipment bolstering efforts to curb diesel emissions from ships. The port approved a high-voltage cable system that will connect more vessels to Oaklands landside power grid as it continues working to reduce emissions. The port said the move would accelerate the program that has helped cut emissions 76 percent in Oakland since 2009. The 200-foot cable-on-reel system will be deployed by Oakland International Container Terminal. The new USD 230,000 cable system will connect ships that cant closely align with landside electrical vaults at berth to one of the marine terminals 18 shorepower electrical vaults. When the ships plug into the vaults, they will switch off onboard diesel engines and rely on grid power, resulting in a complete lack of diesel emissions during Oakland calls. Nearly 400 vessels are equipped to plug into Oaklands landside electrical system, however, ships sometimes berth beyond the reach of their onboard power cables. Port of Oakland said it expects the technology to be deployed full-time by autumn.