Kiwi port of Wellington to offer shore power to ferries

Kiwi port operator CentrePort has partnered with transport firm StraitNZ Bluebridge to install shore power at King’s Wharf in Wellington port for ferries.

PHOTO: StraitNZ Bluebridge’s RoRo vessel MV Connemara berthed at King’s Wharf. CentrePort

A total of $500,000 in funding has been granted by the Kiwi government body Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) for this project.

“By utilising shore power, StraitNZ’s ferries will reduce their overall fuel consumption, improving the quality of air in Wellington’s inner-harbour,” CentrePort says.

Shore power will “replace conventional hydrocarbon fuels that would normally be consumed by ships while they are in port,” CentrePort’s chief executive Anthony Delaney says.

CentrePort will build a microgrid to generate and store energy for shore power. The microgrid “will combine embedded generation [using solar panel] and storage on port, with capacity from an electrical connection to the Wellington grid,” Delaney adds.

The facility is expected to be ready by 2025.

Shore power or “cold ironing” has been gaining traction across port operators and ship operators globally to reduce emissions while a ship is berthed.

According to classification society DNV, there are currently 118 facilities across ports globally offering shore power to vessels, with 47 more planned and four under discussion.

By Tuhin Roy

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