Shore connection is decarbonizing port calls

ABB’s shore power supply solutions allow a vessel’s energy load to be transferred to the shoreside source in a secure, automated manner, without disruption to onboard services. This means that the ship’s auxiliary engines can be shut down for the duration of its harbor stay. Emissions into the local surroundings are thereby eliminated, enabling compliance with environmental regulations set by authorities such as the International Maritime Organization, California Air Resources Board, the EU and individual governments.

In addition, ABB shore connection solutions cover all necessary electrical and automation infrastructure on board and can be used for retrofits and newbuilds. They are delivered on a turnkey basis, with support in procurement, project management, system studies and calculations, engineering, installation, commissioning and testing.

Installation and connection in depth
Onboard shore connection is available in the power range 0–20 MVA. Smaller vessels such as ferries typically use low-voltage solutions, while larger vessels such as cruise and container ships require higher voltages.

ABB offers shore connection solutions in low voltage (less than one kilovolt in alternating current power and less than 1.5kV in direct current power) in accordance with IEC/IEEE 80005-3 LVSC general requirements – and high voltage (between 6.6 and 11kV) in accordance with IEC/IEEE 80005-1 HVSC general requirements. Sockets and plugs are standardized for roll-on/roll-off vessels and passenger ferries (11kV), container ships (6.6kV) and cruise ships (6.6kV, 11kV). Standardized cable management systems are available for these vessel types.

Installations vary depending on the kind of solution being deployed and on which type of vessel. For Azipod® electric propulsion systems on cruise ships, for example, cable sockets are mounted in the front part of the cabinet. A shaft line system on a container vessel involves an onboard cable drum lowering the cable down to the quay for onshore termination. Meanwhile, the shaft line system for ro-ro and ro-pax vessels entails an onboard transformer converting the power from high to low voltage.

In general, the sequence for connecting and disconnecting a vessel to shore power is as follows: the ship arrives in port, power and control cables are connected, and the last running engine is synchronized with the landside power grid. After the shore connection circuit breaker is closed, the generator is offloaded, and the engine is stopped. Before the vessel departs, the first engine is restarted and synchronized with the onshore power grid. Once the load has been transferred to the generator, the shore connection reopens, power and control cables are disconnected, and the vessel is ready for departure.