Designing Cold Ironing Power Systems: Electrical Safety During Ship Berthing

Cold ironing power system design requires unique components to supply shore power to ships for cold ironing operation. Currently, the development of new standards is in progress, and operating procedures are being written to maximize electrical safety, standardization of the process, and interchangeability from one location to another. This article describes the power system design, including a power system protection scheme, which should enhance the electrical safety by design. The power system grounding, equipment grounding, and touch potential that can impact personnel safety are described. A very basic outline of the operating procedures and training needed for the operators to maximize electrical safety during cold ironing operation are also included in this article. In addition, this article provides the current status of the draft International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)/International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/IE Standards 80005-1 [5] and 80005-2 [6].