Momentous Shore Power Arrives at ‘Cruise Capital of the World’

As engineer of record, WSP helped establish the largest shore power system on the nation’s east coast at PortMiami, one of the largest ports in the U.S.

United States | Wednesday, June 19, 2024
Reading Time : 1:15 minutes

Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Group recently celebrated their connection to PortMiami’s Shore Power Project, which will introduce five new shore power systems to one of the largest U.S. ports, once completed.

The combined shore power system is the largest of its kind on the nation’s east coast and will eliminate the need for vessels to run their engines while berthed and significantly reduce their air pollution emissions. The systems will provide shore power for cruise ships at Terminals A (Royal Caribbean International), B (Norwegian Cruise Line), F (Carnival Cruise Line), V (Virgin Voyages) and MSC Cruises.

Among the partners in this landmark project is WSP, which serves as engineer of record working with PortMiami, Florida Power and Light, as well as manufacturers, suppliers, and cruise lines throughout the project.

“Designing a single project for this many cruise ships and that offers such tremendous flexibility is like trying to hit a home run out of the park,” said Mark Valenti, senior vice president and southeast regional maritime leader at WSP in the U.S. “It really is the first of its kind.”

PortMiami is one of the largest cargo and passenger ports in the U.S, supporting 340,078 jobs and generating $61 billion annually. Considered the “Cruise Capital of the World,” with millions of cruise passengers from around the globe, PortMiami also serves as a vital hub for international trade, processing millions of tons of cargo each year.

Learn more about the project and its recent opening here.

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©WSP

This cable management system unit will extend the medium voltage cables from the connector pit, where the cable from the substation connect, to the cruise ships at PortMiami. An underground system was installed to keep the cables away from the regular cruise ship operations.