Ship service electrical power consumption at the pier side is rapidly growing and now exceeds 10 megawatts (MW) power range on many of the latest commercial ships. These ships, when docked at the ports, consume hotel power produced by onboard generators resulting in air pollution. The environmental impact of the pollution created while at berth has many ports restricting the operation of these on-board generators. Shutting off these on-board generators and supplying ship's hotel power from the shore power system can reduce the air pollution emissions. This process, when shore power is provided to the ship during berthing by shutting down its on-board generators, is called cold ironing. For limited power supply, this technology has been used by the military at naval bases for many decades when ships are docked for long periods. However, with the development of medium voltage power plugs and receptacle assemblies, cold ironing projects for larger ships are becoming feasible. This paper will review the current state of cold ironing projects, existing applicable standards for ship interconnections to shore power, and proven techniques for shore power interconnections. The paper will highlight the main features of a cold ironing power system with emphasis on personnel and equipment protection by an adequate electrical grounding system. The paper also describes an actual cold ironing project in which a barge is used to mount a unit substation and cable management equipment.
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