Coastal electricity (Concept)

Today, the shipping industry is entering a new, environmentally friendly era, and there is an immediate need for stakeholders to seek ways to reduce ship emissions. In addition to the use of green fuels, ports are offering another solution: Cold Ironing. This is the process of supplying shore-side electrical power to a ship docked at port while its main and auxiliary engines are turned off.

50+

Years of experience

Promarine Innovations

Cold Ironing

At Promarine Innovations, aiming to be pioneers in renewable energy and alternative proposals, we seek to introduce this new idea into Greek daily operations. The concept involves the development of a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) power generation system on a newly built (or retrofitted) open-type vessel or a pushed barge. This project aims to address the issue of air pollution in tourist ports that serve cruise ships, such as Piraeus, Heraklion, Santorini, Mykonos, etc.

The idea stems from the current situation during the tourist season (April–October), when cruise ships (and other types of leisure vessels) spend many hours docked, burning diesel fuel or low-sulfur fuel oil as marine fuel (per IMO regulations). As a solution, our company proposes providing electrical power to these ships via a floating LNG power generation system. Liquefied natural gas is more cost-effective than diesel and emits fewer pollutants than any other fossil fuel.

Promarine Innovations

Green Applications and Sustainability

As for storage, it will be done in special storage tanks. This vessel will supply power to cruise ships in places where there is currently no such infrastructure (e.g., Piraeus) or no feasible future alternative for permanent shore based power installations (e.g., Santorini). As a result, if this vessel is used, there will be no need for onshore infrastructure to provide power to ships in need.

Additionally, this unit will be equipped with batteries. The vessel will be able to connect to the electricity grid to meet additional needs.

More specifically, in Piraeus, there will be the possibility to sell surplus “green” electricity to the existing grid. At the same time, electricity can be stored from the grid during nighttime hours, when prices are lower and system stability can be enhanced. At Promarine, we believe this could also help meet the energy needs of islands either by selling surplus green power to the non-interconnected grid or by storing energy to increase the penetration of existing renewable energy sources.

This approach could address issues such as power station failures or further promote the use of renewables. Therefore, we aspire for the Cold Ironing concept to further strengthen marketability and create new opportunities across various parts of Greece.

Promarine Innovations

Key Specifications

Open-type vessel or pushed barge [80–100×15–30 m] with LNG engines (10–12 MW capacity)
On-board LNG fuel tanks, using 2–4 tanks of 80–160 m³ LNG each
LNG supplied from DESFA terminal on Revithoussa Island via trucks or bunkering ships
≥5 MW engine power
Electrical connection systems
Software for energy supply management

Promarine Innovations

Cold Ironing: The Role of Ports
in Reducing Maritime Emissions

How Cold Ironing Works

Cold Ironing is not a brand-new concept. In fact, it dates back in maritime history to when all ships ran on coal-fired engines. When a ship docked, it no longer needed to feed the fire, and the iron engines would cool down hence the term “Cold Ironing.”

Today, when ships are docked, they use auxiliary engines to maintain essential operations. This results in emissions of SOx, NOx, CO₂, particulate matter, as well as noise and vibrations.

Cold Ironing offers a solution to these problems. The current technology acts as a powerful tool against both atmospheric pollution from diesel generators and marine pollution caused by discharged waste. Therefore, using shore-side electricity as an alternative is a solution our company aims to introduce in Greece.

The Cold Ironing process can be described in simple steps. While docked, the ship shuts down its engines and connects to a land-based power source. The ship’s power load is transferred to the shore electricity supply without interrupting onboard services. Emergency equipment, refrigeration, heating, lighting, and other systems continue receiving uninterrupted electricity while the ship is loading or unloading.

Our Offering

At Promarine Innovations, we aim to lead the future of shipping by proposing solutions that can optimize the current state of affairs. Specifically, we believe that by automating certain tasks and adopting new designs, we can improve ship safety and efficiency in the future.

Moreover, by merging the fields of INS (Integrated Navigation Systems) and IAS (Integrated Automation Systems), we’ve developed a new generation of ship command systems that allow for more efficient task execution and best practices, something we aim to expand even further in the coming years.

We’re also striving to permanently transform short sea shipping. By applying “autonomous” solutions, we’re reconstructing short-distance coastal and internal shipping to become a safer, greener, and generally more effective part of the supply chain.

Finally, it’s worth noting that we utilize Dynamic Positioning (DP) systems, a technology dating back to the 1960s, which now plays a crucial role in ship navigation. Our advanced sensor technologies have a long history of supporting crews and bridge teams in critical situations and routine operations alike. At ProMarine, we continuously develop, deliver, and remain pioneers in this category.