Princess Ship Initiates Cold Ironing in Vancouver

Seatrade Insider
September 1, 2009

Island Princess on Monday helped inaugurate Port Metro Vancouver's new shore power facility by turning off its engines and plugging in to clean hydroelectric power from shore.
 
The new technology at Canada Place enables Princess Cruises and Holland America Line ships, and other equipped vessels, to use power from the city's grid instead of their diesel engines, reducing emissions when alongside.
 
The new shore power installation is the first use of the technology in Canada and results from a $9m cooperation among Port Metro Vancouver, Transport Canada, Western Economic Diversification Canada, British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, British Columbia Hydro, HAL and Princess.
 
‘We've been committed to shore power for many years, so we're pleased we can now plug in our ships at Port Metro Vancouver,' said Charlie Ball, president of Princess Tours. ‘We know that local air quality issues are important to the community, and we're proud to join with all those involved in realizing this important environmental initiative.'

Planning for the Canada Place project began in 2005. Shore power-enabled cruise ships are now able to connect to the system at both the east and west berths.

Currently nine Princess ships and six HAL ships are outfitted for cold ironing. Four Princess vessels and one HAL vessel will use shore power in Vancouver during the remainder of the Alaska season.

Shore power has been available in Juneau since 2001 and in Seattle since 2005. Los Angeles and San Francisco are among the other North American ports that plan to implement the technology.