A study on onshore power for ocean-going vessels in container terminals of Hong Kong

Abstract

Thanks to globalization, which leads to an ever increasing growth in international trade and inevitably a vast emergence in shipping activities, environmental impact is receiving increasing attention around the world. Maritime industry is under great pressure to improve its performance towards greener practices. This study attempts to provide an insight to the feasible adoption of onshore power system (OPS) for ocean-going vessels (OGVs) in the container terminals in Hong Kong.

Given that OGVs are the major contributors to pollutants like carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO) and various particulate matter (PM), it is of overriding importance to tackle and rectify the environmental impact of these pollutants, in particular in a densely populated port city like Hong Kong. As such, main focuses in this study laid in the environmental and financial benefits in adopting OPS technology in the container terminals in Hong Kong.

Information of container vessel arrivals and engine emissions at Kwai Chung-Tsing Yi Container Terminals (KTCT) in 2011 are analyzed. By employing the energy-based approach, it is revealed that the use of OPS at KTCT could substantially reduce the CO2, SOx, NOx and PM10 levels within Hong Kong waters by 16%, 84%, 95% and 94% respectively. In addition, as far as financial benefits are concerned, this study adopted the life cycle cost analysis (LCCA), in which the capital investment cost, operational cost and maintenance cost of OPS are taken into account. Analytical data provide sound return on investment with a discounted payback period as low as 6.4 years, and up to 29% of annual energy cost saving when compared with traditional diesel powered OGVs as well.

To further support the feasible implementation of OPS in Hong Kong, some real-life cases over the globe are gathered to contrast the successful adoption of OPS. Altogether with the recent compromised international standards for OPS and more stringent emission regulations enacted by International Maritime Organization (IMO), European Commission (EC) and California Air Resources Board (CARB), the commission of OPS in the container terminals in Hong Kong is just around the corner. This dissertation provides innovative management measures from an environmental perspective to promote the adoption of OPS at KTCT. Besides, incentive policy from the HKSAR Government should be expedited, stimulating the sustainable industrial practice in Hong Kong.