Port of San Diego business converts vessels to shore power
A member of the Port of San Diego’s ‘Green Business Network’, Pacific Tugboat Service, has successfully converted its fleet of 20 vessels to run on shore power, in a bid to help make San Diego bay’s air and water cleaner.
The process of switching a ship’s onboard diesel power supply to shore based electrical power while the ship is at dock has already had a huge effect on the air quality and noise pollution surrounding the port. The project, which was made possible by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), was part of a $3m upgrade of the company’s facility at the port’s Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal.
The Port of San Diego also utilises shore power at its B Street Cruise Ship Terminal and the Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier.
Stephen Frailey, vice president of the Pacific Tugboat Service, said: “I think the Green Business Network taught us is that we’re not just a small business trying to make a living on the bay, but we’re a neighbour. We have a park near us; we have a neighbourhood near us. Our contribution back to that neighbourhood is to try to improve the environment.”
The Pacific Tugboat Services’ fleet divide time between the San Diego headquarters and offices in the Long Beach and Los Angeles area and support the navy, pile driving operations and crane services for both land and sea.
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