In the latest paper from Schneider Electric, the shore power experts look into the Port of Bergen's expertise in implementing the first low voltage shore connection installation to power offshore supply vessels. The operation is defining standards, which are made according to the new IEC/IEEE/ISO 80005-3 standard, and those existing installations that are not yet connected to this communication standard can be easily be upgraded to it, allowing for greater efficiency and safety to connection and disconnection operations.
Powering a berthed ship from a port’s electrical grid is the optimal way of reducing air pollution in port areas, especially as ships are responsible for around 50% of the total air emissions emitting from ports. Shore power is the only technology that curbs not only SOx, but also other dangerous pollutants such as NOx, particulate matter, VOC, and depending on the electricity mix available, a substantial reduction in the CO2 generation associated to ship power. The noise and the vibrations linked to the use of auxiliary engines at berth, a common nuisance for residents living close to a port, are also completely eliminated when shore power is utilised. To invest in shore connection systems makes sense for ships spending several hours at berth to periods of days or even weeks, depending on seasonality. This is the case for offshore supply vessels (OSVs) in the North Sea, and this is something the Port of Bergen is pioneer in implementing. Bergen’s shore power installation Bergen is a city surrounded by mountains with its port right next to the city, leaving pollution from port activities accumulating in Bergen’s valley. Poor air quality has been very prominent in the ranking of the port’s challenges in recent years and became the prominent issue in 2013. However, this issue has a solution. The Port of Bergen officially opened the first low voltage shore connection installation to power OSVs in the North Sea in June, 2015. “By installing shore power the port wants to make its contribution to reduce emissions in the city of Bergen,” said Inge Tangerås, Director of the Port of Bergen. The DOF Group Skandi Vega OSV was the first vessel to have power supplied from the grid using this installation. Once powered, the vessel could stop its auxiliary engines and the smoke, noise and vibrations associated with them….
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