Problem design and analysis of onshore power supply to berthed ships at the port of Mombasa

Abstract

International shipping is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions leading to environmental degradation in seas and ports. The Port of Mombasa which is frequented by vessels plans to supply ships at berth with onshore power, a technology promoted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). This paper discusses the provision of onshore power supply (OPS) to container ships to replace the onboard auxiliary diesel generator sets thereby reducing emissions at the port. By estimating the amounts of the major pollutants from vessels, the study designed an OPS system consisting of supply from both the public electricity grid at 5 MVA and 2 MVA solar PV source to supply the ships’ energy demand. The emissions from the vessels resulted in CO2 equivalents of 103,000 TCO2e emitted by the container vessels. The financial appraisal for the project indicated viability with a 6-year payback period, a positive NPV and an IRR of 16.9%.