By Mark Edward Nero
The Port of San Diego held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Feb. 24 to commemorate its successful switch to a new shore-power system at the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal.
Construction on the $4.25 million project began in mid-2013 and was funded by a port capital improvement program. The contractor was San Diego-based NEWest Construction.
The shore power installation can help improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by allowing cargo vessels to plug into shoreside electricity rather than run their diesel engines while in port.
Expected environmental benefits include an over 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions – more than 2,000 metric tons – per year; and a 95 percent reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx) per year, or about 70 tons.
“By offering shore power, we not only improve air quality for communities nearby, but we also reduce our impact on the planet,” Board of Port Commissioners Chair Bob Nelson said.
Speakers at the ribbon cutting ceremony included US Rep. Scott Peters (D-La Jolla), City of San Diego Interim Mayor Todd Gloria and Stuart Jablon, vice president of Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal tenant Dole Fresh Fruit, which imports about 185 million bananas through the Port of San Diego each month.
The project fulfills a mandate set forth by the California Air Resources Board requiring California ports and terminals to provide shore power to container, passenger and refrigerated-cargo ships. The Port of San Diego’s already equipped to provide shore power to cruise ships that berth at the B Street Pier Cruise Ship Terminal and Broadway Pier.
