With ABB’s shore connection technology, three Corsica Linea ferries will cut emissions and noise pollution when berthed in the Port of Marseille, France.
Instead of running diesel-fuelled auxiliary engines the ferries Paglia Orba, Jean Nicoli and Pascal Paoli will use electricity for power at the berth. Each of the three vessels is being modified to feature ABB’s power compensation device Dynacomp, which allows electricity available from the local grid in Marseille to be stepped down to 11KV in order to take care of ship power needs while in port.
Jean Nicoli is illustrated here with the kind assistance of Corsica Linea / ABB ©.
In the words of Ludovic Amouroux, Project Manager, Corsica Linea: ‘ABB shore connection technology enables the type of emissions-free ship power that regulators, ports and local residents increasingly demand. With ABB’s proven technology, Paglia Orba, Jean Nicoli and Pascal Paoli will be emissions-free when berthed in Marseille. We estimate we will use between 7MWh and 11 MWh of zero-emission power per call, depending on the vessel.’
Jyri Jusslin, Head of Service, ABB Marine & Ports added: ‘Decision-makers in the ferry sector like Corsica Linea continue to lead on zero-emission shore power, proving that existing vessels can significantly reduce environmental impact with technology that is available to shipowners today. We are delighted to offer our turnkey shore connection solution to meet Corsica Linea’s shoreside power needs.’
This project covers the supply and shipboard installation of electrical, mechanical and automation systems to enable shore power connection. On the shore side, ABB will deliver a custom-designed cable management system on the quay at Marseille, it is understood.
These three Corsica Linea ferries carrying vehicles and passengers connect Marseille and Corsica, for 48 weeks of the year.
Installation of ABB’s shore connection technology in one of the ferries, Paglia Orba, is currently underway, while the two remaining vessels will be connected to shore power in 2020.
Worldwide, ferries transport 2.1 billion passengers and 250 million vehicles every year, according to trade association Interferry. With increasing passenger volumes, the ferry industry is under pressure to meet the IMO target of reducing annual emissions by 30% by 2025.
After France presented an impact assessment to IMO in late 2018, momentum is building to designate the Mediterranean Sea as an Emissions Control Area where stricter controls are in place to minimize emissions from ships.
It has been reported that the Port of Marseille’s efforts to reduce emissions include participation within the EU-funded CLIMEPORT greenhouse gas initiative, while Grand Port Maritime de Marseille (GPPM) has also built the infrastructure at two berths to facilitate shore side power connections.
About ABB
ABB with a history of innovation spanning more than 130 years has four customer-focused, global leading businesses: Electrification, Industrial Automation, Motion, and Robotics & Discrete Automation. It is understood that ABB’s Power Grids business will be divested to Hitachi in 2020. ABB with about 147,000 employees operates in more than 100 countries.
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On 15 October it was announced jointly from London and Kuala Lumpur that the International Chamber of Commerce International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) had issued its report for the third quarter of 2019. This document demonstrates that fewer incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were reported than in
the first nine months of 2018.
A total of 119 incidents of Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships have been reported to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre (IMB PRC) in 2019, compared to 156 incidents for the same period in 2018. Overall, the 2019 incidents include 95 vessels boarded, 10 vessels fired upon, 10 attempted attacks, and four vessels hijacked. The number of crew taken hostage through the first nine months has declined from 112 in 2018 to 49 in 2019.
While the overall number of incidents has dropped, incidents involving guns and knives remain consistent. There have been 24 knife-related and 35 gun-related incidents reported in 2019, compared to 25 and 37 for the first nine months of 2018. These statistics confirm IMB’s concerns over continued threats to the safety and security of seafarers.
Gulf of Guinea
The Gulf of Guinea remains a high risk area for piracy and armed robbery. The region accounts for 86% of crew taken hostage and nearly 82% of crew kidnappings globally.
In July a general cargo vessel was hijacked approximately 120nm SW of Brass. Ten crew members were kidnapped from the vessel and released four weeks later. In August a bulk carrier and a general cargo vessel were boarded within hours of each other at Douala anchorage, Cameroon, and a total of seventeen crew were kidnapped from the vessels. Within six weeks all kidnapped crew were released. This incident demonstrates the range of piracy activity in the Gulf of Guinea and that all types of ships are vulnerable to attack. Lagos recorded 11 incidents in 2019, the highest number for any port.
In the words of said Pottengal Mukundan, Director, ICC IMB: ‘Although incidents are down, the Gulf of Guinea continues to be a concern for piracy and armed robbery-related activities with kidnappings of crew members increasing in both scale and frequency. It is important that shipmasters and owners continue to report all actual, attempted, and suspected incidents to ensure that an accurate picture of these attacks emerge and action is taken against these criminals before the incidents further escalate.’
In recognition of California Clean Air Day, the Port of Long Beach (POLB) announced on 2 October the demonstration of hydrogen- and electric-powered cargo handling equipment at two terminals, in pursuit of its goal to become the world’s first zero-emissions seaport.
This new equipment was purchased through a $5.3 million grant from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as part of the C-PORT, or Commercialization of POLB Off-Road Technology Project. It was reported that the port has several continuing clean-air technology demonstrations in partnership with labour, marine terminal operators and regulatory agencies.
It is understand that the CARB grant falls under the umbrella of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities similar to those adjacent to the port.
In the words of Long Beach Harbor Commission President Bonnie Lowenthal: ‘Today, you see some of the equipment with the potential to take us to the next level – zero emissions. The equipment, which will be operated by our longshore partners at the port, will help us reduce our impact on our neighbourhoods and contribute to the port’s ability to increase trade.’
