Challenges Associated with Implementing Operations for the First Cold Ironing of Oil Tanker Vessels

Exhaust emissions from auxiliary engines operating when ships are at berth is a significant source of pollution in the San Pedro Bay Ports Complex. The Port of Long Beach (POLB) has adapted a Green Port Policy making environmental protection a top priority in managing its facilities. As part of the POLB's Green Port Policy, a reduction of diesel emissions is a goal. As an initial step towards this goal, POLB has identified vessels that have high power demand as candidates for the implementation of shore-to-ship power while at berth. Shore-to-ship power is more commonly referred to in the industry as "Cold Ironing". Cold ironing of ships at berth allows auxiliary engines generators to be turned off, thus eliminating that source of emission and causing an overall reduction of air pollution at POLB. This paper provides an overview of the challenges associated with implementing operations for the Cold Ironing of Alaska Class Oil Tankers at the BP oil-unloading terminal located at Berth T121 in the Port of Long Beach. The BP Cold Ironing Project is the first of its kind to cold iron an oil tanker vessel. The project design started in 2005, was completed in 2009, and is now currently in operation. Cold ironing of a vessel involves interfacing shore-side operational activities with ship-side activities. Because this project was constructed in an operating oil terminal, there were numerous challenges that had to be overcome in order not to interrupt BP's operations in unloading crude oil. The formulations of acceptable designs alternatives were effectively accomplished by the active participations of POLB, BP, Alaska Tankers and AECOM. The paper will provide an overview of the project and will focus on the challenges and lessoned learned through all the various phases of the project development.