Hammonia Reederei has completed the conversion of its first containership to use alternative marine power (AMP) or “cold ironing”.
The 2,500-teu Sealand Los Angeles (built 2008) was recently commissioned with the new environmentally-friendly technology in Port Hueneme, California.
The vessel is one of sister vessels chartered by Maersk-Sealand where such a system is to be installed and commissioned in early 2017.
Hammonia Reederei said the system consists of an AMP container, a modified main switch board and the connecting cabling.
Work on the Jiangsu Yangzijiang-built was completed in less than four weeks while the ship was still in full operation, the shipowner added.
The AMP container is produced by Helsinki-based Caverion and contains the double reel, high voltage switchboard and transformer.
The modification of MSB has been designed and executed by Electro Automation Austevoll, while the installation of power cables was performed in house by Dohle Manning Agency Romania.
After the commissioning in Port Hueneme, Hammonia Reederei said the vessel was able to go online when it arrived at its next port of call – Los Angeles.
With cold ironing a shore-based substation allows ships turn off their engines and use alternative marine power while alongside reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The Port of Hueneme declared itself to be “AMP ready” in December 2013 in what the port’s chief executive described as a “a giant leap forward for us and the community”.
