Earlier this month the International Electrotechnical Commission has published its Utility connections in port – Part 1: High Voltage Shore Connection (HVSC) Systems – General requirements. The new standard IEC/ISO/IEEE 80005-1:2012(E) describes high voltage shore connection (HVSC) systems, on board the ship and on shore, to supply the ship with electrical power from shore.
The IEC says this standard is applicable to the design, installation and testing of HVSC systems and addresses:
- HV shore distribution systems;
- shore-to-ship connection and interface equipment;
- transformers/reactors;
- semiconductor/rotating converters;
- ship distribution systems; and
- control, monitoring, interlocking and power management systems.
It does not apply to the electrical power supply during docking periods, e.g. dry docking and other out of service maintenance and repair.
Cold ironing is slowly becoming more common, initially in the US and now elsewhere including northern Europe. The berths at Rotterdam’s giant Maasvlakte 2 container port, now under construction, is being designed so that installation of shore-based power will be “relatively simple”.
Several container lines have now retrofitted their vessels for cold-ironing while Swedish coastal shipping company Pallas Shipping said recently that it was switching to using shore power.
The IEC’s publication is likely to be welcomed by the shipping and ports industry but it is still not clear whether cold ironing will become general practice. In a statement Rotterdam Port Authority notes: “Shore-based power can be an effective measure (when moored at the quay, ships then use mains electricity rather than their own, more polluting, generators) but is only realistic if a worldwide standard is introduced and several shipowners and ports start using shore-based power. Furthermore, a source-oriented approach, for example with new IMO regulations for clean engines and fuel, enjoys preference. These result not only in a reduction in emissions on the quayside, but also whilst sailing. The Port Authority monitors developments and remains in dialogue with shipowners and terminal operators about the best approach.”
Source: World Bunkering
Officer of the Watch 
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