A study of the potential of shore power for the port of Kaohsiung, Taiwan: To introduce or not to introduce?

Tseng, Po-Hsing; Pilcher, Nick

Abstract

To reduce ship emissions in port and city environments, cold ironing, or shore power has been suggested and implemented in many global advanced ports. Shore power is a land-to-ship electricity connection that allows ships to switch off onboard diesel-powered generators while docked. However, numerous challenges have prevented its implementation in many parts of the world. This paper explores these challenges as they have been experienced in the port of Kaohsiung (Taiwan). First, the comparisons of fiscal and environmental emission (NOx and CO2) benefits when introducing shore power are quantitatively calculated for the future. Against the backdrop of these quantitative calculations, the results from qualitative, in-depth interviews with key stakeholders are presented and discussed. The quantitative calculations show that there are indeed significant fiscal, environmental and socio-economic emission benefits to be gained from introducing shore power in the long term; but that the implementation cost is high. Furthermore, the qualitative interview data show that perceptions of the current political and global economic climate, despite recognizing these benefits, arguably prevent such an introduction at the current time. Suggestions for future research and conclusions regarding considerations for the introduction of shore power for port authorities and governments to consider are made.

Citation

Tseng, P., & Pilcher, N. (2015). A study of the potential of shore power for the port of Kaohsiung, Taiwan: To introduce or not to introduce?. Research in Transportation Business & Management, 17, 83-91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rtbm.2015.09.001

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 13, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Sep 12, 2015
• Publication Date: 2015-12
• Deposit Date: Sep 16, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 13, 2016
• Journal: Research in Transportation Business and Management
• Print ISSN: 2210-5395
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 17
• Pages: 83-91
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rtbm.2015.09.001
• Keywords: Shore Power; Port Sustainability; Emission
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/9114
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rtbm.2015.09.001