Fri 15 Jul 2011 13:31

ABS launches cold ironing guide


New guide addresses key safety concerns and design considerations for shipboard installations.



The use of shoreside power, commonly called cold ironing, is becoming increasingly popular among ports and terminals seeking to reduce local air pollution emissions. While work to develop internationally-agreed standards for high voltage connections continues, leading classification society the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has released its Guide for High Voltage Shore Connection to address key safety concerns as well as design considerations for shipboard installations.

“Cold ironing will continue to grow in importance as more ports around the world install facilities to accommodate this alternative source of auxiliary power,” said Yoshi Ozaki, ABS Director of Environmental Technology. “The design criteria provided in this Guide will help to mitigate risk surrounding safety concerns related to the use of high voltage connections.”

Cold ironing is the practice of shutting down a vessel’s generators while in port and using shoreside power to supply electrical loads. The guidance from ABS aims to fill the gap in the absence of universally adopted standards for high voltage connections. Current class Rules address low voltage shore connections which are typically 450V. The new ABS Guide addresses connections of 6.6 kV or 11 kV.

Cold ironing using high voltage brings with it a variety of unique safety considerations. One of the more important is the risk of arc flash, an electrical breakdown of the resistance of air. This is often the result of a breakdown of electrical insulation caused by a buildup of conductive dust, dirt and other particles. According to Ozaki, the rapid release of high energy that results from an arc flash is particularly concerning so the reference requirements during their design, installation and operations are paramount.

ABS provides guidance for system design issues such as shore power compatibility, safety grounding, overvoltage protection and safety interlocks as well as operational issues.

Requirements for the equipment design, installation and survey of high voltage shore connection installations are also captured in the new guide. “We address the safety of personnel during the establishment of high voltage shore connections as well as normal operations, the protection of shipboard equipment and the continued operability of the vessel following the loss of the high voltage shore power supply,” said Ozaki. Guidance also takes into account considerations for the ship’s system grounding philosophy.

A class notation for those vessels complying with the requirements and conditions of the Guide is available. The notation HVSC will be listed in the ABS Record.


Marius Kairys, CEO of Elenger Sp. z o.o. Elenger enters Polish LNG bunkering market with ferry refuelling operation  

Baltic energy firm completes maiden truck-to-ship LNG delivery in Gdansk.

Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) virtual reality (VR) training program developed in collaboration with Evergreen. SHI develops VR training solutions for Evergreen's methanol-fuelled ships  

Shipbuilder creates virtual reality program for 16,500 TEU boxship operations.

Illustratic image of Itochu's newbuild ammonia bunkering vessel, scheduled for delivery in September 2027. Itochu orders 5,000 cbm ammonia bunker vessel  

Japanese firm targets Singapore demonstration after October 2027, with Zeta Bunkering lined up to perform deliveries.

Bunkering of the Glovis Selene car carrier. Shell completes first LNG bunkering operation with Hyundai Glovis in Singapore  

Energy major supplies fuel to South Korean logistics firm's dual-fuel vessel.

Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) vessel. CPN delivers first B30 marine gasoil to OOCL in Hong Kong  

Chimbusco Pan Nation claims to be first in region to supply all grades of ISCC-EU certified marine biofuel.

The Buffalo 404 barge, owned by Buffalo Marine Service Inc., performing a bunker delivery. TFG Marine installs first ISO-certified mass flow meter on US Gulf bunker barge  

Installation marks expansion of company's digitalisation programme across global fleet.

Sogestran's fuel supply vessel, the Anatife, at the port of Belle-Île-en-Mer. Sogestran's HVO-powered tanker achieves 78% CO2 reduction on French island fuel runs  

Small tanker Anatife saves fuel while supplying Belle-Île and Île d'Yeu.

Crowley 1,400 TEU LNG-powered containership, Tiscapa. Crowley deploys LNG-powered boxship Tiscapa for Caribbean and Central American routes  

Vessel is the third in company's Avance Class fleet to enter service.

The inland LNG bunker vessel LNG London. LNG London completes 1,000 bunkering operations in Rotterdam and Antwerp  

Delivery vessel reaches milestone after five years of operations across ARA hub.

The M.V. COSCO Shipping Yangpu, China's first methanol dual-fuel containership. COSCO vessel completes maiden green methanol bunkering at Yangpu  

China's first methanol dual-fuel containership refuels with green methanol derived from urban waste.


↑  Back to Top