Princess Cruises is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its shore power partnership in Juneau, Alaska, marking a milestone in the cruise industry's adoption of emissions-reduction technology while vessels are alongside.
The cruise line became the first operator to connect a ship to Juneau's hydroelectric shore power system in 2001 through a collaboration with the City and Borough of Juneau and Alaska Electric Light & Power (AEL&P). The initiative allows cruise ships to shut down their engines while in port and draw electricity directly from the local hydroelectric grid, reducing emissions and improving air quality. Over the past quarter-century, the project has evolved into a model that has been replicated at 41 cruise ports worldwide.
According to Princess Cruises, the partnership has resulted in 1,725 shore power connections since operations began. During that period, ships have used more than 123.6 million kilowatt-hours of hydroelectric power, avoiding ~84,534 metric tons of emissions while generating more than US$11.2 million in Community Partnership (COPA) credits for the Juneau community. The cruise line also noted that it has been operating Alaska voyages for nearly 60 years.
Princess Cruises stated that the long-standing collaboration between the cruise line, local government and the regional utility has demonstrated how coordinated efforts between industry and public authorities can support both environmental objectives and local communities. The company added that protecting the destinations visited by its ships remains a key part of its operating strategy and that it intends to continue investing in technologies that improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions throughout its fleet.
The City and Borough of Juneau described the project as a landmark example of public-private cooperation, noting that the partnership established the world's first cruise shore power system and continues to provide a foundation for future expansion of the technology within the port. Alaska Electric Light & Power also highlighted the engineering challenges involved in integrating large cruise vessels with Juneau's isolated hydroelectric grid, adding that the collaboration has delivered long-term environmental and community benefits while helping establish Juneau as an international reference point for shore power operations.
Princess Cruises continues to connect its ships to Juneau's shore power system whenever the infrastructure is available, using locally generated hydroelectricity during port calls as part of its broader environmental and operational sustainability programme.