By
Laura Hyde |
PortMiami in Florida has opened new shore power facilities. The port is now the first major cruise port on the US east coast to offer shore power capabilities at five cruise berths.
The new facility was officially opened during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on 17 June 2024, which was attended by Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade County Mayor, and executives from Carnival Corporation, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Royal Caribbean Group and Virgin Voyages. These cruise lines partnered with Miami-Dade County and Florida Power & Light Company to fund and install the new facility.
“As mayor, I vowed to protect our environment; shore power has been my personal dream and initiative,” said Cava. “We embarked on this journey in 2021, thanks to an innovative partnership with our major cruise line partners and Florida Power & Light Company. Shore power is a great example of progress in tourism and clean energy converging. Together, we are creating jobs, expanding our economy, and preparing to meet the dynamic needs of tomorrow.”
The shore power facility was officially opened during a ribbon-cutting ceremony
Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Conquest became the first vessel to connect to the new shore power facility, turning off its engines while docked at PortMiami to reduce carbon emissions and noise.
“Using shoreside electricity to power our ships in port is an integral part of our global strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and minimise our environmental footprint,” said Josh Weinstein, chief executive officer of Carnival Corporation. “It’s been over 20 years since our company first pioneered shore power for the cruise industry, yet adoption remains limited to just two per cent of cruise ports worldwide. We applaud PortMiami for having the vision to recognise shore power as vital to the future of our industry and the planet, and for being at the forefront of their peer group in delivering this capability to cruise ships.”
The port expects more than 350 vessel calls to plug into the new system in the next 12 months.
“We are committed to being a sustainable global gateway,” said Hydi Webb, PortMiami director and CEO. “We thank our mayor, county commissioners, and port partners for their continued support of our resilience initiatives.”
Shore power allows cruise ship engines to be switched off, reducing emissions by up to 98 per cent, according to PortMiami