- One of the world’s most popular cruise ports has undergone an environmental makeover.
- The Port of Miami is now equipped with shore power, allowing ships to plug into a giant power outlet.
- The technology allows cruise ships to shut down their engines when at anchor, reducing emissions and noise.
The cruise shipping capital of the world unveiled a new shore power system this week, an innovative source of energy that will help reduce the industry’s damaging impact on the climate.
Cruise ships docked at the Port of Miami can now plug into giant power outlets instead of running diesel engines while idling.
Large commercial ships typically keep their engines running while docked to provide electricity and other amenities for crew and passengers who remain on board. According to the Miami Herald, a single cruise ship running its engines in port can use as much electricity as 10,000 homes in a day.
More than seven million cruise passengers passed through Florida ports in 2023, a record number for the busy cruise hub.
Shore power will be provided by the local shore power grid. The Miami installation was built in partnership with Miami-Dade County, the Florida Power and Light Company, and several major cruise lines.
The project is estimated to cost $125 million, funded by grants and donations from sources including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Florida Department of Transportation, according to industry publication Cruise Hive.
According to the Herald, power is provided by separate substations built by Florida Power & Light and installed at several terminals around the port.
The Herald reported that shore power would help reduce exhaust and noise pollution. The Port of Miami has 16 megawatts of power for cruise ships, and each ship requires between 8 and 13 megawatts of power per berth, Port Director Heidi Webb told the Herald.
The Port of Miami did not immediately respond to Business Insider’s request for comment.
Monday was the big reveal day for the PortMiami shore power system. According to media reports, executives from five cruise lines — Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Virgin, Norwegian and MSC — attended.
The port’s rollout of shore power is coming quickly: Starting this week, three ships per cruise line will be able to connect to substations, according to the Herald.
The first ship to connect on Monday was a Carnival ship, according to Cruise Hive. The company did not immediately respond to BI’s request for comment.
According to a 2023 report from the Cruise Lines Industry Association, 30% of the world’s cruise ships have shore power capabilities, but fewer than 30 ports can accommodate such ships.
But a growing number of ports seem to be preparing for change: The Port of Seattle recently announced that it will require all cruise ships that call at the port to use shore-based power by 2027.
