PLUG IN AND POWER UP!

More and more, ports and cruise lines are working together to keep the lights on and keep the pollution down

- JODI ORNSTEIN

In earlier days of cruising, “going green” might’ve meant that cruisers were asked to reuse their stateroom bath towels and recycle Lido Deck beer cans. As time went on, cruise lines have gone even greener by putting forth initiatives from wildlife protection programs to environmental conservation efforts.

One such innovation, known as “cold ironing,” allows cruise ships to turn off their diesel engines while docked in port and quite literally plug into local shoreside power grids instead. (Think electric cars but with much bigger outlets and extension cords!) This technology allows ships to continue to operate onboard services such as lighting and air conditioning using shore power, which reduces air pollution, emissions, and noise for the surrounding communities as well as the global environment.

Cool Technology

Cold ironing is a shipping term that dates to when vessels used coal-fired engines. When a ship was docked, there was no need to feed the fire and the iron engines would literally cool down, eventually becoming completely cold. Though the technology is relatively new in the cruise industry, shore power has been successfully used by the U.S. Navy for decades.