The following is the text of a news release from DNV GL:
(HOVIK, Norway) — The offshore vessel KL Sandefjord, owned by K Line Offshore AS, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. (K Line), is the first offshore vessel with the DNV GL class notation Shore Power. The Shore Power notation verifies the design and installation of a vessel’s on-board electrical shore connection. When in port, the vessel can shut down its engines and rely on a shore-based electrical supply for its needs at berth — the so-called “cold ironing."
By tapping into an onshore electrical supply, vessels not only reduce their fuel consumption, but they also eliminate the associated emissions. This will have a marked improvement on the air quality in the port and surrounding environment, cutting particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and reducing carbon dioxide by using more efficient shore-based electricity. In combination with renewable energy sources, electrical supply can even result in zero emission operation for the duration of a vessel’s stay in port. In addition, it can free the engines for maintenance, reduce wear and tear, and limit noise.
“There is an increasing awareness of the impact of shipping emissions in ports and this is driving investments in cold ironing,” said Jon Rysst, senior vice president and regional manager for North Europe, DNV GL. “This is leading to ports both requiring and incentivizing the use of alternative maritime power (AMP). As access expands, alongside the rise of fully electric and hybrid vessels, cold ironing could soon become standard procedure in many ports around the world — with a noticeable positive impact on air quality. With the Shore Power notation shipowners can easily document a safe interface between shore facilities and the ship, based on IEC standards."
DNV GL’s electrical shore connection class rules cover safety requirements for a vessel’s onboard electrical shore connection. The Shore Power notation ensures a safe and efficient way of performing the connection and disconnection of shore power. DNV GL also verifies compatibility between ship and port and provides recommendations for a well-defined future proof technical solution.
The technical requirements are based on the international standard for high voltage shore connections established by IEC, ISO and IEEE in IEC/ISO/IEEE Publication ‘80005-1 Utility connections in Port – Part 1: High Voltage Shore Connection (HVSC) Systems. Part 3 of this standard is currently under development and will deal with low voltage shore connections. DNV GL is actively involved in this work as a member of the IEC working group.
