A shore power solution has just been unveiled at the Port of Montreal, with the Holland America Cruise Ship Veendam being the first to test it.
The cruise ship successfully shut off its diesel engines after docking at the new Alexandra Cruise Terminal in Montreal. The ship was then connected to the electrical power grid, thus eliminating all air pollution caused by the ship’s diesel engines.
The total cost of the project is $11 million with funding coming from the federal government, the provincial government as well as the Montreal Port Authority.
“Working in concert with our various partners and improving air and water quality are among the MPA’s main guidelines for sustainable development. Now completed, this shore power project will result in a significant reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, offsetting virtually all the GHG emissions for which the MPA is responsible,” said Sylvie Vachon, President and CEO of the MPA.
The MPA worked with Schneider Electric to implement the shore power solution, which is expected to eliminate upwards of 2,800 tons of greenhouse gases annually.
Schneider Electric has long been active in the clean energy space. In February, the company announced it would partner with Duke Energy to build and deploy microgrids at the Montgomery County, MD, Public Safety Headquarters and the county correctional facility. And in 2016, the company signed energy savings improvement programs with three school districts in New Jersey.