MOL tests ship-to-shore system at SoCal port

MOL tests ship-to-shore system at SoCal port Tokyo-based ocean carrier MOL said Tuesday it has successfully completed a test of a system utilizing a liquefied natural gas-powered generator to provide electric power to a berthed ocean-going vessel.
   MOL and Oakland, Calif.-based CleanAir Logix partnered on the power generating system, which feeds power from the shore-based LNG generator to a berthed ship, thus allowing the vessel to turn off its auxiliary engines and reduce diesel emissions while in port. Ocean-going vessels berthed at the neighboring ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles have been identified as one of the leading causes of diesel pollution in the Southern California Basin.
   MOL conducted the ship-to-shore power test at the TraPac Terminal in the Port of Los Angeles, successfully connecting the LNG system to the berthed 4,500-TEU container vessel MOL Enterprise.

The MOL/CAL system's LNG tanker and separate generator vehicle, in foreground, providing shore power to the MOL Enterprise at the Port of Los Angeles. (Photo: MOL)

   The MOL/CAL system connects to the berthed vessel through a tap into the vessel's power cable running to the bow thrusters. This feeds power back to the vessel's power switchboard, providing the shore-based power to operate the vessel's various power needs while docked. The system, which includes a generator vehicle and a separate LNG truck tanker to provide fuel, is portable and can be moved from berth to berth to accommodate different vessels.
   Last year, the California Air Resources Board adopted regulations that would require most vessels calling at the state's busiest ports to plug into shore-based power sources and turn off auxiliary engines while at berth. The regulations are to be gradually implemented starting in 2010 and cover vessels calling at the ports of Hueneme, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego and San Francisco.