Full coverage: G20 Hangzhou Summit
China is tackling air pollution by curbing emissions and burning less coal. In harbor cities like Shanghai, emissions from ship engines are now being targeted.
More than 700,000 tons of fuel oil is consumed each year by ships while they are moored in Chinese ports. That accounts for 40-70 percent of carbon emissions in the harbor area.
In the past, ships kept their auxiliary diesel engines running even when docked in order to maintain power supply. Now, more and more countries are adopting a greener and more cost-effective power management system.
Shore power is used in big ports over the world. But it is comparatively new to Chinese ships and ports.
“We spent five years in researching and negotiating with ship yards and ports. One set of such equipment costs about 40 million yuan. Now that more ports are under construction, the shore power energy system becomes a promising market in China,” said Gu Shuai, general manager of Shang Shore Power Energy Science Tech. Co. Ttd.
Equipment like this can generate 36 million kilowatt hours per year, reducing carbon dioxide emission by 36,000 tons.
“Emissions from a ship’s diesel engine running for one hour equal emissions from a car traveling 80,000 kilometers. The shore power system can reduce emissions to zero. But the take-up isn’t as good as we expected due to the sharp dive of international oil prices. Another reason is that the ship emissions regulation is not as clear and complete as for cars and factories,” Gu said.
“In order to secure a better environment for the G20 Summit, the central government has declared a ‘ship emission restricted area’ in the Yangtze River Delta. The throughput capacity of ports in Shanghai reaches 720 million tons per year. It ranks the first tier in the world. That’s why the shore power system has long been listed on the developing agenda,” said Ye Xing with Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission.
Shore power equipment is now being instaled in major Chinese harbors. It could cut emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and inhalable PM 10 particles in China by more than 87,000 tons per year.
