APL begins cold-ironing ships in Oakland

APL begins cold-ironing ships in Oakland    Singapore-based container shipping company APL became the first to shut down or 'cold-iron' its ship’s engines in the Port of Oakland.
   Last Friday the 900-foot APL Singapore switched off its auxiliary diesel engines after berthing at APL's Global Gateway Central terminal.
   APL is converting five ships operating between Asia and the United States to use shore-generated power this year. With engines switched off, about 1,000 pounds of nitrogen oxides emissions (a leading component of smog), 165 pounds of sulfur oxides, and 30 pounds of particulate matter are eliminated in a 24-hour port call.

Video Link •   Video shows a reel lifted onto a APL ship docked in Oakland. The reel contains the wire that is used to connect the ship to the shoreside electrical grid.

   The state of California has mandated cold-ironing for containerships by 2014.
   At that time, half of a carrier's fleet must rely on shore power when berthed in California ports. APL is one of only a handful of carriers cold-ironing in California, and the only one in Oakland.
   APL is spending $11 million to retrofit the five container vessels and rewire its terminal for cold ironing. It was awarded $4.8 million in California Air Resources Board grants by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to complete the project.