Alternative Maritime Power™ (AMP™)

The Port of Los Angeles is committed to balancing its operations as the busiest port in the nation and its responsibility as an environmental steward. In 2001, with numerous environmental programs already in place, the Port decided to push the envelope, by researching and developing even more innovative environmental initiatives, such as Alternative Maritime Power™ (AMP™).

Alternative Maritime Power™, or “AMP™,” is one-of-a-kind air quality program that focuses on reducing emissions from container vessels docked at the Port of Los Angeles. Instead of running on diesel power while at berth, AMP-equipped ships “plug in” to shore side electrical power – literally an alternative power source for oceangoing vessels.

AMP technology is often referred to as “cold ironing” and has been used for naval vessels, Baltic ferries and cruise ships operating in Alaska. The Port of Los Angeles is the first Port in the world to use AMP technology for in-service container ships.

On June 21, 2004, the Port of Los Angeles and China Shipping Container Line announced the grand opening of the West Basin Container Terminal at Berth 100, the first container terminal in the world to use Alternative Maritime Power. Nearly two months later on August 9, the Port welcomed the world’s first container vessel to be built with AMP specifications already in mind, shipping line NYK’s NYK Atlas. A second Port of Los Angeles container terminal, NYK's Yusen Terminal, will receive AMP wharf infrastructure in 2005.

Five other shipping lines have signed memoranda of understanding to implement AMP technology on their container vessels or at their Los Angeles terminals. The Port has also approved an AMP incentive program to help defray the customer’s cost of outfitting their first ship for shore side power.

The Port of Los Angeles is currently in discussions with several cruise lines to expand the use of AMP to cruise vessels calling at the Port’s World Cruise Center terminal. In December 2004, the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners passed a policy resolution to promote the AMP program by helping each existing Port customer underwrite the cost of building or retrofitting their first container or cruise ship to run on electrical power when docked at the Port.

Components of the AMP™ system at the Port of Los Angeles include a shore side power source, a conversion process to transform the shore side power voltage to match the vessel power systems, and a container vessel that is fitted with the appropriate technology to utilize electrical power while at dock. The City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power manages the electrical system and supplies power.

Depending on the size of the ship, estimates are that AMP will reduce NOx by one ton and take more than half a ton of sulfur oxides (SOx) out of the air each day the ship is at berth and plugged in.