News / 'Cold ironing' can reduce emissions at UK ports, but government must help

A cold ironing unit. (Picture courtesy of Cavotec)

The UK ports industry has called on the government to help it reduce carbon emissions at port facilities by building up infrastructure to deliver shore power to ships at berth.

For years, ports around the world have looked at how to provide shore power to ships at berth – known as cold ironing – an initiative first pioneered in Los Angeles’ West Basin Container Terminal in 2004, as the city struggled to contain the smog that regularly engulfed it.

Providing shore power ...