Shore Power: Holland America Line Plugs In
ABB shore power connectors retrofitted to three Holland America Line vessels will help these ships achieve low emissions in port anywhere in the world.
Cruise line Holland American Line will retrofit three of its vessels with ABB’s innovative shore power connectors that allow the ships to draw on land-based electrical grids when docked in port.
Holland America Line proactively encompasses programs that aim to reduce emissions and comply with international regulations and environmental guidelines – and seeks to exceed these requirements wherever possible. Passenger vessels often call at facilities close to residential areas where reducing emissions above standard requirements becomes increasingly important.
ABB shore connection technology allows ships to turn off all engines and switch to electricity generated in a power plant on shore, tackling emissions and noise while also achieving greater energy efficiency. After having executed three new installations, Holland America Line will proceed to feature a total of 11 cruise ships outfitted with ABB’s shore power connectors.
An increasing number of ports in North America, Europe and Asia are investing in shore power infrastructure for visiting ships, yet implementation standards for connectors and cables vary. ISO 80005-1 offers an international standard covering design, installation and testing of high-voltage shore connections and an update for low-voltage systems is in the pipeline, but the lack of such a standard has hindered the adoption of shore power, despite its agreed benefits.
Primary distribution voltage, for instance, can vary from 440 volts to 11 kilovolts, while load requirements can range from a few hundred kW in the case of car carriers to a dozen or more MW in the case of passenger ships or reefer ships. Today, ABB offers a single interface for complete port electrification and grid integration that is compliant worldwide and can be installed for newbuilding projects or for retrofit.
Cable connection and preparation for safe power transfer can take around 20 minutes on existing shore power solutions, but the ABB solution for Holland America Line includes a simplified switchover process, enabling a more seamless transition between ship and shore power sources. ABB has also taken steps to streamline and minimize disruption during the installation process, whether for newbuildings or for retrofitting.
