The Port of Oakland set a new record for shore power usage during the first six months of 2024.

The proportion of ships connected to the Oakland Seaport’s power grid averaged 94 percent in the first half of the year.

In comparison, the shore power connection rate was 85 percent for the whole of 2023. The air in Oakland is cleaner due to the increasing number of ship connections.

Colleen Liang, director of environmental programs and planning at the Port of Oakland, said, “Shore power is the most effective way to reduce ship emissions when a vessel is in port. We thank the shipowners who are retrofitting their vessels for shore power. We also thank the terminal operators for coordinating and providing manpower to physically connect the vessels calling at Oakland.”

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Shore power is generated when a ship docks and connects to the power grid at the quay. This allows the ship to switch off its diesel engines, resulting in almost no ship emissions while docked.

In May, the port recorded a record ship connection rate of 99 percent. Since November 2023, the use of shore power has been over 91 percent.

The port said it is continually maintaining and improving its shore power infrastructure to ensure it can provide power at any time when ships arrive.

In July, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) awarded the Port of Oakland and the City of Oakland a $3 million grant for sustainable transportation planning and climate adaptation planning.