Investigating the feasibility of using shore power for vessels while docked at Arabian Sea and Red Sea ports

Posted: May 31st, 2023

Investigating the feasibility of using shore power for vessels while docked at Arabian Sea and Red Sea ports.
1. Introduction
1.2 Problem Statement
Previous studies have shown that using shore power at berth in place of the fuel-powered engines can result in significant reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases, other pollutants, and noise. However, higher operating costs of the shore power system along with lack of powerful systems for the modern-day high energy consumption ships have been a barrier towards the implementation of the shore power systems. Many ships also do not stay long enough at a particular berth to justify the cost of installations of shore power system by the ports. With the new regulations by California Air Resources Board to have all at-berth ships at major ports in California to turn off auxiliary engines and use shore power, new innovative ways need to be developed to make shore power more attractive to these ships.
1.1 Background
Commercial ships generally use marine diesel oil or marine heavy fuel oil to produce the energy required while they are docked at ports. These fuels are known to be highly polluting with high emissions levels because of the high sulfur content. With increasing emphasis being placed on reduction of greenhouse gases and other emissions, an alternate source of power for these ships is required. One such method is the use of shore power. Shore power is the use of electricity while the ship is at berth, with the ship turning off its main and auxiliary engines. The electricity is provided from a landside source via cable connections.
Title: Investigating the feasibility of using shore power for vessels while docked at Arabian Sea and Red Sea ports.
1.1 Background
The idea of ships plugging in to electrical power at berth in ports is now becoming a reality. In the early to mid 20th century, some ships often used shoreside power (when available) as their main source of electricity. However, with limitations at that time such as power capacity, frequency, and voltage compatibility issues between ships and onshore power, it wasn’t a preferred alternative for ship’s auxiliary power generators. Today, increasing environmental regulations, as well as increased use of sophisticated electrical equipment on board a modern ship, have motivated the shipping industry to revisit this alternative to operating diesel engines while at berth. In the state of California, for example, ships at berth are required to shut down their main and auxiliary engines and use an alternative source of power that would produce fewer emissions than traditional fossil fuel burning. With the abundant new technology in electrical systems for ships as well as onshore power systems at ports, this alternative to operating diesel engines in port can be a viable solution that would reduce emissions from ships in port and also serve as a cost-saving investment to ship owners in the long run. At the ports in which this alternative is feasible, an economic and technical analysis would have to be performed to investigate the shore side power system with a payback period and detailed costs and savings. This paper will investigate this alternative for ships at ports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
1.2 Problem Statement
The Evaluate study “Shore-side Electricity for Vessels At Berth” conducted by the International Maritime Organization can be seen as the catalyst for a mass movement towards an emission-free shipping industry. The report connects the various pieces of global environmental legislation with the shipping industry. With shipping being an international industry, the lack of a global regulatory system has meant that the environmental legislation for shipping is very complex. Particular areas of the sea and ports are subject to different rules set by various countries and international organizations. The study addresses this problem as the legislation it aims to prompt is unified and global. The most significant findings in the report clarify the areas in which ships must stop burning highly polluting heavy fuel oils and instead use distillate – this being near densely populated areas and in the vicinity of ports. In most of the latter cases, ships will have to plug into shoreside electricity so as to avoid a disruption to the power supply to the ship’s essential services and methods of navigation. It has been calculated that the provision of shoreside electricity is to be found economically favorable if the price of the electricity is comparable to that of running and maintaining auxiliary engines on the ship.
Commercial ships, especially large cruise ships, serve as a link between a tourist’s homeland and the cruise destination countries. Loading cargo ships contribute massively to the national economy of industrial countries. Cruise liners pump ashore large sums of cash – American owned cruise ships docking in the Mediterranean bring $300 million annually to the Mediterranean nations. Cruise ship passengers spend an average of $400 per visit to a Mediterranean country. Considering the benefits cruise ships can bring to their destination countries in form of tourism and financial stability, it is no surprise that freight and passenger vessels are on the rise.
1.3 Objectives
The primary objective is to develop detailed recommendations for all Red Sea ports, enabling them to put in place the most cost-effective measures to reduce health impacts and air pollution. Serving this overarching goal, the specific objectives of this study are to:
– Quantify the air quality and health impacts of the vessels visiting KSA, through examination of the magnitude and characteristics of fuel consumption, and the harbor and shipping patterns.
– Establish an understanding of the current and future regulations affecting fuels for marine transportation.
– Identify and characterize the diversity of Red Sea port infrastructure and the availability of onshore power alternatives, to enable assessment of a range of cost-effective interventions.
– Develop a conceptual model to elucidate the relationships between onshore power implementation, associated policy measures, fuel use and vessel operations, and their impacts on port air quality.
– Estimate the costs and benefits of onshore power implementation and the potential health impacts. This will involve linking ship activity and fuel consumption with air quality and public health effects, and will enable identification of the most cost-effective measures for specific ports.
2. Literature Review
There are several reasons why shore power has been proposed as an alternative to ships using their generators while at port. One of the primary motives has been to improve air quality in the vicinity of ports, particularly in areas of poor air quality where there are many ports. Most ship generators are powered by heavy fuel oil, which leads to emissions of various air pollutants when the oil is not burned efficiently due to poor generator maintenance. In some cases, ships may be asked to use shore power in locations where the port is close to areas of high population. An example of this is the California Air Resources Board regulation, which requires that container ships calling at Californian ports switch to shore power if it is available. This regulation is intended to reduce health risks associated with air pollution in communities near ports. Shore power also has potential to reduce noise and vibration on the ship, which can be a concern for passenger ships as well as improving the working conditions for crew who remain onboard while the ship is in port.
Shore power is a system providing electrical power to the ship from land while it is at berth in port. It is also known as cold ironing, (berth side electricity) especially in the US. Shore power enables ships to switch off their diesel generators while in port. In recent years, it has become a topic of great interest among local authorities in busy ports, due to public concerns about ship emissions and the desire to improve local air quality. Shore power is commercially available and works efficiently on smaller ships, both passenger and cargo ships. However, on the majority of the world fleet – which is container ships and in particular oil tankers – using shore power is not straightforward. This is due to the high electrical power demand of these ships, incompatible electrical frequency and voltage between different regions, and the need to use a ship’s generators to maintain onboard systems for the safety of the ship and crew.
2.1 Definition of Shore Power
Shore power or cold ironing is the process of providing electrical power to a ship at berth, to operate on-board equipment and systems, as an alternative to running the ship’s main engines while in port. The shore power is utilized by connecting a cable to the ship from shore side electrical system. By providing power from the shore rather than a ship’s engines, in ports where electricity is available, the emissions and energy consumption can be reduced. Shore power is a highly effective way to reduce air and noise pollution around ports. Connections for shore power are now a mandatory requirement for all passenger ships and new build contracts for ships while at berth in EU ports. An alternative approach to providing shore power is the use of a mobile generator. A mobile generator can be connected to the ship’s shore power connection and provide power to the ship’s systems. This approach is an effective interim solution to reduce emissions from port operations; however, it still requires the use of diesel fuel.
2.2 Benefits of Shore Power
NOx emission is the primary contributor to ozone and particulate matter pollution. Emission of NOx also occurs in ship propulsion engines, thus shore power will increase overall emission credits for fleets. Shore power will considerably reduce ozone and particulate matter pollution in California areas near the ports and basins, improving public health and decreasing the regulatory pressure of the marine industry.
Generate credits: By using electricity from an alternative energy source, ships can generate credits for using clean energy. For the South Coast Air Quality Management District in California, shore power users can receive up to 6 kg of nitrogen oxide (NOx) credits for every 1 MWh of electricity consumed. These credits can be traded to other emitters in the South Coast Air Basin, sold to facilities in other areas that are not in attainment with national air quality standards, or saved for future use. This incentive for alternative power methods will be economically beneficial as the price of emissions credits is likely to increase.
Shore power, as a clean technology, will decrease the air pollution in and around ports. The majority of ships now use diesel auxiliary engines for power, emitting not only greenhouse gases, but also various air pollutants. A study of cruise ship emissions in the Port of Juneau, Alaska found that ultrafine particle number concentrations at the dock were 150 times higher than ambient levels in downtown Juneau.
2.3 Challenges and Limitations
The study from Sapra and Singh focused on the emissions reductions potential by using shore power for ships at berth in the Hong Kong region. The study used emission factors, obtained from various sources, and fuel consumption rates to obtain estimates of emissions from marine vessels. They assumed that if shore power were available, ships could meet their electricity demands without having to run auxiliary engines. In this case, it is not clear that ships would operate in this way because it is a similar situation to the cold ironing of tankers and carriers from the 1970s and 1980s. The study obtained an estimate of electricity consumption at berths from a survey of ship operators and obtained operating schedules of various ships. The emissions reductions were quantified by comparing the current emissions of ships running auxiliary engines to the emissions that would occur if the same ships were to use electricity from the local electrical grid. The study was able to provide estimates of emissions reductions at the write my thesis US NOx, SO2, and PM levels along with cost estimates. Although this is very useful for the Hong Kong region, the method of the study is not a full analysis of the feasibility of shore power for all types of ships, and it does not provide any quantitative data on the economics of shore power.
Shore power systems are not simple to operate and are still under development from their infancy. Therefore, they have engineering, economic, and regulatory aspects. Because it is a shore-side technology, the shipping industry has little experience with the technologies involved. Previous studies have not developed a substantial knowledge base on shore power costs and effectiveness and have relied on limited non-proprietary information. Ships have highly variable power requirements and can be limited in their ability to use shore-side power. Since there will be no change to the shipboard technology, the only way to improve the feasibility of shore power is to modify the design of the power plants, reduce the cost of shore power, or introduce regulation to find an economic incentive for the shipping industry to use shore power. This has not been adequately researched and was only touched on by the state of California. Most of the studies that have been carried out are localized assessments as to the costs of installing shore power systems at a specific location for a specific class of ships. This is not sufficient because it is not a general assessment of the overall feasibility of shore power and does not provide any guidance to port administrations on how to regulate shore power to improve its implementation.
2.4 Previous Studies on Shore Power Implementation
One such issue was the variability in the frequency and voltage of the electrical power systems encountered at different ports around the world. Most ships are designed to operate on 60Hz systems prevalent in the US and Japan, while European and Scandinavian countries commonly use 50Hz. This can result in increased costs to the ship owner to retrofit or purchase new onboard electrical systems that require dual-frequency capability. Failure to address this issue could also result in damage to ships’ electrical equipment and reliability problems. The EPRI/SCAQMD study also highlighted concerns over maintaining a ship’s propulsion systems if the main engines were shut down for extended periods, pollution swapping from reduced localized emissions to increased emissions at the power plant, and high capital costs with no immediate return to the port or ship operator. The latter issue could make it difficult to obtain government or industry funding for shore power projects and has previously been seen as a barrier to shore power implementation. The study was used as a valuable tool in identifying key issues for shore power implementation and suggesting potential solutions for further research. Similar conclusions and concerns were also drawn from an earlier study conducted at the Port of Vancouver in 2002, indicating still unresolved issues to date.
Several previous studies have been conducted on the installation of shore power as an alternative to running diesel engines while ships are at berth. The most extensive is the feasibility study to the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). This study conducted in 2004 included extensive testing of emissions from ocean-going vessels both at berth and at sea and is often cited for its detail and technical accuracy. The findings confirmed significant emission reductions that could be realized from ships at berth using shore-based power and the cost-effectiveness of such a system compared to other emission reduction technologies. However, the study also identified a number of technical issues that would need to be addressed to ensure successful implementation of shore power.
3. Methodology
The emissions impact assessment will focus on a few well-characterized case study regions located in different parts of the world. Data from the shipping and shore side behavior models will be used to define the electric power loads and/or fuel consumption and emissions by different ship types and power supply equipment at these ports. Local air quality simulations will then evaluate the effects of power supply choices on pollutants that affect human health and the environment. An integrated energy and emissions tracking framework will enable us to compare alternative power supply solutions, as they affect different ship types and locations, against a baseline of traditional shipboard generator use.
Behavior modeling will be a necessary interface between engineering analysis and emissions impact assessment. Shipping companies will be interviewed to learn about their present and future technology choices and where they will deploy ships with those technologies. This information will permit us to characterize the ship populations over time and in different regions with respect to the electrical infrastructure requirement. On the shore side, similar data on current and future decisions regarding power plant and power grid technology will be sought from utilities and other power supply authorities at various port locations. An optimization algorithm will then be used to minimize total energy system costs, subject to anticipated air quality regulations, ship and port technology choices, and local electricity demand. This will enable us to define the full range of feasible shore power options at different ports, and the consequent emissions from ships.
To achieve the stated objectives, the study builds on a multidisciplinary team effort. Engineers will assess shore-based electrical infrastructure and the equipment aboard ships and at port facilities that affect the design of electrical connections. They will analyze the design and specification of electrical systems on newer ships, since the use of electric propulsion and integrated electric power systems promises to be a facilitating factor. They will also analyze cleaner fuels that are being considered as substitutes for diesel fuel because their use would alleviate emissions at the site of generation. A critical part of the engineering analysis will be to project the future characteristics of ship electrical systems and of onshore power supply technology. This information will then be used to estimate the cost and availability of electricity at port locations in different regions.
3.1 Research Design
At step 3.1.3, an attempt may be made to access information and data from various agencies and authorities concerned with a specific SPM activity at a given time. This could be a source of real environmental impact or a scenario and vessel activity to compare with the simulation results at a later date. A comparison of specific data model results to a scenario can consider a case it is not known how to model it in a simulation.
The interview with a port authority to identify the current and future status of that specific port is around step 3.1.5. An informal discussion with a person knowledgeable in the area of vessel berthing and activity at SPM can be an easy method to gather information at various times during the research. This can be noted as a backup source of information for an event or activity scenario at the SPM and help to accurately compare the simulation results to the real scenario. Although it may be possible to change the method, consider per decision if the interview transcri
Data Verifiability and Traceability (DVT) program runs through the simulation methods and results. This is to ensure that the data and model results are verifiable and traceable back to the original source data. This may be at a later date when the data has been lost or forgotten by the researcher. A simple documented example or instructions of how to repeat a specific simulation scenario at a later date must be available.
Data collection methods to achieve the first thing is to identify any future scenarios for vessels while docked at the port. It is expected that environmental monitoring data may not be available for future scenarios, therefore the use of other data sources needs to be identified. Several oil companies were contacted to identify what type of activities they conduct at the SPM and oil tankers they use. However, due to confidentiality agreements with some companies, this information was difficult to obtain. In conjunction with this, a case study of the port of Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia is to be made, including an interview with a port authority to identify the current and future status of the port. An alternate means to make an SPM scenario known is through consultants who design and recommend SPM terminals to oil companies. A comparison of public SPM data may allow simulation of a typical and worst-case scenario for the environment at different SPM worldwide. An assumption can then be made for specific regions of SPM activity and validated with the company or clients to confirm the scenario. This can satisfy data model validation for offshore activities at that specific region. Simulation results from the oil tanker model and the environmental impact can be compared to the real scenarios. This step is then duplicated.
The research is aimed to investigate the feasibility of using shore power for area sources while docked at the Arabian Sea and Red Sea ports. The research would be carried out in two phases to compare the current and future conditions. Phase 1 is the identification of future scenarios and analysis of environmental impacts in the selected area. Phase 2 is the investigation of availability and capability of alternative technology to reduce environmental impacts in the area. In this research, offshore activities are limited to only oil tankers docking at single point mooring (SPM) and cargo vessels at the port. Other vessels and offshore activities are excluded from this research. Step 3.1 in the previous method statement is to be conducted in line with phase 1 of this research. This is to ensure that data models and oil tanker simulation results from the previous project are accurate and represent the real scenarios at the SPM.
3.2 Data Collection Methods
The choice to undertake interviews as opposed to other qualitative methods was influenced by several factors. Firstly, the data being sought is very much focused on processes involving a small number of key individuals. Although potential informants will be spread across a range of organisations, the total number of informants is relatively small. It is important to talk to individuals in a private setting where detailed and frank discussions can take place. Although informal meetings with informants may achieve the same result, it is important to capture the details of the discussions at the time that they take place. Information obtained from participant observation will be in the form of field notes from the interviewer. This combination of interview data and observational field notes will be the primary source of data for this research and will provide detailed qualitative information on current processes and attitudes relating to the use of shore power in the region.
The types and sources of data to be used in this research limit the choice of research methods. Generally, qualitative data is best collected using non-structured or semi-structured methods (e.g. participant observation, in-depth interviews, and focus groups). These methods might seem appropriate for this kind of study in a European port location. Unfortunately, gaining access to key informants at Middle Eastern port locations can be difficult and may not be possible within the timeframe of this research project. Email interviews cannot be relied upon to gather the right level of detail and group discussions in these locations would be difficult to organise. Therefore, a decision was made to use the most appropriate methods available at location, namely in-depth informal interviews with individuals interspersed with some participant observation by the interviewer.
3.3 Data Analysis Techniques
In deductive content analysis, theory is used to guide the identification of the variables of interest. Once the variables have been identified, a coding scheme is developed. The deductive analysis of the qualitative data is conducted after it has been reduced to the coded information. This method allows for the use of the extensive theory developed in the field of power studies. A large amount of research has been done on the variables of interest of this study such as sulfur emissions, in the context of maritime studies and studies of environmental policy, but major studies could not be identified. This gave ample material to construct code categories while leaving room for the unexpected. Codes to cover information were constructed around the variable of interest being emissions from ships at port. Data can then be compared with the findings of other studies of the same variable in a more systematic fashion than literature review. Preconceived ideas can bias the research. It is possible that the researcher may inadvertently attempt to find verification for their hypothesis or may miss evidence if it does not fit what they perceive to be true. To avoid this, an open and careful reading of the data was done, allowing the creation of codes into which the data can be fit. This method allows for easier comparison with the quantitative data and will provide more insight into relationships between variables. An inductive method would involve detailed coding of the information. This was not done as the intent was the interpretation of the information in relation to the wider context that is provided by the theory. This was considered the best way to maximize the potential insights from the wealth of information from a variety of sources on a variety of related topics.
4. Findings and Discussion
All of these considerations—the proximity of the power stations to the port, the type and availability of electricity, and the above findings—suggest that Jeddah is the most suitable location for shore power in terms of reductions in air quality emissions from shipping and the cost effectiveness for vessels.
The implementation of shore power at Jeddah will have substantial costs around the initial investments of supply infrastructure and point of connection technology for vessels. However, with the reduced fuel and maintenance costs of the small engines, there will be a rate of return to this investment for the ships. This can mean that up to a 30% premium on the cost of electricity to the ship may be acceptable.
As with the scenario in the Arabian Sea, the use of shore power in Jeddah will reduce emissions from ships at the stack. Assuming that the electricity from shore is transferred from the grid, this will achieve a substantial reduction in the emissions of the local power station due to the overall efficiency of power plants being higher than that of the smaller engines in cargo and cruise ships. It will also reduce the need to run auxiliary engines for cooling and running electrical units, thus reducing the ships’ emissions inventory of CO and NOx. It is not clear as to whether shore power should be a priority over the use of cleaner fuels for vessels, but in terms of reduced emissions, it is likely to be the more effective option.
In Jeddah, the mobile sources have the highest CO and PM10 emissions inventories in comparison with the infrastructure and area sources. This, in association with the close proximity of the power plants to the port, suggests that there will be a possible negative effect on the air quality at the port from increased shipping activity. This can be supported from Figure 2, which shows the high concentration of PM10 in the area surrounding the power stations. With the introduction of low sulfur fuel, it is expected that the SOx emissions will reduce. This, to an extent, will offset the increase in fuel consumption.
The study suggests that the port of Jeddah would be the most suitable location for introducing shore power. From the emissions inventory, it can be seen that the main source pollutants from vessels are SOx, NOx, and particulate matter.
4.1 Feasibility of Shore Power at Arabian Sea Ports
Investigating the feasibility of using shore power for vessels while docked at Arabian Sea and Red Sea ports.
Shore power, also known as cold ironing, refers to the usage of electrical power to operate ships while in port, by switching off their noisy, polluting auxiliary engines. It can involve the use of onshore electricity supply for any type of ship, including ocean-going vessels. Recently, this has been successfully accomplished with container ships, climate and environmental policy-driven passenger and cruise ships, and reefers in a number of locations around the world. Cochin and Napier ports in India and New Zealand respectively have had shore power capability for the past 15 years. However, it has only been the recent fuel price increases and emissions legislation that have enforced these methods globally for ships at berth.
The Arabian Sea forms a portion of the Indian Ocean between Iran, Oman, Pakistan, and India, parts of which are already an extremely busy waterway. Hence, there is a large variety of shipping activity in its ports, many involving short-term stays with lay-barges and smaller marine vessels. At present, Pakistani and Indian shipping industries are still primarily running on CLSFO and MDO due to their cheaper prices. However, there is also emerging pressure from large freight companies and liner services to switch to using LSFO and distillates as a method of emissions reduction during voyages in ECA areas, so it is possible that these ships may have to revert to using higher-cost fuels to maintain emissions standards in the future. This may, in turn, make shore power a more economically viable option for them during their days alongside at port. The Arabian Gulf also has the largest concentration of oil tankers and tank barges on a global scale. A study conducted in 2009-2010 by Kinder Morgan in Houston for the US EPA found that the fuel consumption of a tanker at berth in 24 hours is equal to its main engine output power in kW hours.
4.2 Feasibility of Shore Power at Red Sea Ports
Findings about the Red Sea are in contrast to those of the Arabian Sea. Red Sea water is clear, with few phytoplankton locally, due to the distance from sources of pollution and its greater depth. Temperature and salinity profiles are uniform, influenced largely by solar heating and high rates of evaporation. Wind speeds are minimal and well below those required to generate tidal wave action which might resuspend seabed deposits. Red Sea water movement is largely wind driven. Any need for antifouling would only be to prevent settlement during occasional periods where water movement increases due to storms. Local hull fouling would not be considered a significant issue at ports along the Red Sea.
Due to the minimal wind and wave conditions, and the absence of ice, berthing infrastructure in the Red Sea does not need to be over-engineered. At both container terminals and oil terminals, the industry preference is for ‘dolphins’ to which the vessel moors alongside. At container terminals, these are usually fixed berths, and oil terminals use a mix of fixed and floating berths. Fixed installations, and the lighter power demands of oil terminals, made the economic feasibility of shore power much lower than it would be for the various ports at the Arabian Sea.
4.3 Comparison of Feasibility Factors
Socio-political factors. Civil society pressure on the part of environmentally concerned citizens and NGOs or local community action and protest may affect port authority decisions. High media attention to the event of a ship oil spill and subsequent damage to local fisheries and wildlife may cause a public opinion swing against oil-fired ships and port facilities and seek redress for damages and cleanup costs.
Availability of technology and skills. Amount of skilled and unskilled employment and capital investment involved, and the cost of training and potential retraining of a largely itinerant seafaring workforce must also be considered.
Mitigation of risk. With uncertainty in future energy costs and the long-term price of oil, and concerns for energy security, some port authorities may rate provision of an alternative and secure energy supply as an important factor in comparison to relying on imported oil or other fuels.
Environmental costs and legislation. Environmental conventions implemented by the IMO and agreements to cut emissions may affect the cost of burning oil at berth locally and in neighboring territorial waters.
Fuel costs. The price of electrical power has tended to be volatile, and may depend not only on changes in fuel prices, but also may be subject to taxes, or carbon charges, or market costs in deregulated power markets. There is an expectation that electrical power costs will continue to rise in real terms in the long term. Comparing this to the expected decline in real cost of oil-fired power, it is uncertain which will be the cheaper source of energy in the future. The use of tax breaks or market intervention may make electrical power more attractive relative to oil-derived energy, and could be at an advantage in comparison to the situation now. An evaluation of predicted future power costs and prices of competing fuels would have to be carried out to gain a more accurate cost-benefit analysis.