Shore power plan for Irish, UK ports

Italian energy firm Natpower is to install shoreside power, also known a cold ironing, in UK and Irish ports, Ship & Bunker reports.

The company said that it is working with port operator Peel Ports and that it will invest £100 million ($127m) in the project.
"The proposed project would develop the UK's first commercial electric ship charging network to support electric propulsion and cold ironing," the company said.

Cold ironing infrastructure would be installed across eight ports operated by Peel Ports Group in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Shore power allows ships that are docked or that are docked and working cargo to operate on electrical power instead of relying on the ship's engine thereby reducing emissions in the port area.