ASI ready to proceed with shore power! (via Brooklyn Paper)

The Brooklyn Paper reported yesterday that pier operator American Stevedoring International (ASI) has reaffirmed that it would like to pursue cold ironing infrastructure, which means that cargo ships docked locally would be able to plug into the electric grid on land rather than burning on-board diesel generators, which as you've probably seen, release steady streams of dark smoke into the air. The Port Authority, which owns the piers, isn't on the same page however, as it is only currently pursuing cold ironing for the Cruise Terminal at Pier 12.

Here are some excerpts from the BP article:

American Stevedoring International said last Monday that it will proceed with a plan that will enable docked cargo ships to cut their on-board motors and plug into the mainland power grid — a process known as cold ironing.

Cargo ships will typically idle for as much as six hours while their goods are unloaded on the Columbia Street waterfront — and that befouls the neighborhood air.

“The emissions go everywhere,” said Pioneer Street resident Adam Armstrong, adding that those emissions have been labeled as likely carcinogens by the Environmental Protection Agency. Employing cold ironing all along the waterfront, he said, “would have tremendous health benefits.....”

But Steve Coleman, a spokesperson for the Port Authority......[says] “We are only talking about passenger ships at this point.....”

The part measure stems from the higher numbers of incoming cargo vessels versus cruise ships, Coleman said. As a result, there are more “difficulties” with the cargo vessels, including finding ways to get new equipment on many different ships.....

“Given the simpler power needs of cargo vessels, we believe cold ironing will be accomplished without the need for the type or scale of modifications for cruise ship berth,” said American Stevedoring spokesman Matt Yates.

Even if the Port Authority isn’t ready to move ahead on Yates’s company’s piers, Community Board 6 definitely backs the effort, unanimously approving the installation of “appropriate infrastructure” at Piers 8-10 last week....

Read the entire article here.