The role of cold ironing in maritime transport emissions.

Maritime Transport is one of the sources of atmospheric pollution, contributing with gaseous emissions mainly caused by marine engines and fossil fuel combustion, and characterized by the production of substances such as CO2, CO, NOx, SOx and PMx, harmful to the environment and human health. Cold Ironing, also known as Alternative Maritime Power (AMP) or Shoreside Supply, is one of the most relatively recent technologies designed to reduce emissions in the maritime industry: it consists in a three-parts system to connect shore-side located power sources, especially with renewable energies and smart grids, to on-board systems able to receive and store electricity, through intermediate connection devices that allow electricity to flow from the port into ships. This technology has been proved to bring financial and environmental benefits, considering also the rise in fuel costs; however, it is still facing some challenges in getting widespread worldwide, mainly due to retrofitting and upgrade costs. It will also require more specific policies and regulations involving stakeholders of different technical and geographical nature. Scientific research is however promising under all these aspects, as it is demonstrating significant reductions in terms of emissions and externalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]