Cruise Lines Pledge To Expand Technology To Cut Emissions From Ships At PortMiami

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Cruise lines at PortMiami are pledging to cut emissions from ships.

A technological upgrade will allow ships to plug into the local grid instead of having to burn fuel -- spewing water and air pollution in downtown Miami.

The shore power hookups will be installed at five terminals -- with the first shore power hookup ready to go by 2023.

Back in February of 2021, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced a deal that will allow cruise ship companies to turn off their engines.

The deal allows for the ships to be powered with electricity from PortMiami through a process called shore power, which is already being used at ports around the world.

"It's really a win, win, a win for the economy because it will be keeping our cruise ships kind of ahead of a curve," she said. "I went for the environment and I went for the cruising industry as well because sits going to be even cleaner."

Levine Cava said she has been pushing for shore power for some time. and now that six of the main cruise companies and FPL have signed on the agreement, they can begin the process.

"We've got a special substation right on the port and its already with the capacity to power a couple of the terminals at a time," the mayor said. "We will be looking at the capacity, we'll be looking at it ship traffic and we'll be building out a plan to make sure that we can convert fully. In the meantime, it'll be a gradual buildup."

The mayor said they'll also be creating a task force to oversee it.