Cold Ironing: Socio-Economic Analysis in the Port of Genoa

Background: The emissions of ships in ports are increasingly becoming an issue, and particularly those of NO x , SO x , and PM, rather than CO 2 . One realistic solution for reducing GHG emissions is cold ironing technology. This paper highlights the socio-economic impact of increasing utilization of cold ironing in the port of Genoa, quantifying the achievable emissions reductions and estimating the effects over a defined time horizon. Methods: This research employs an interdisciplinary approach and uses quantitative data with a bottom-up approach for data collection. For the quantification of health costs, reference was made to the CAFE program, which defines a calculation method to estimate the external costs generated by polluting agents such as NH 3 , NOx, SO 2 , VOCs, and PM2.5. Results : Analysis of results shows the significant importance of relying on cold ironing and the importance of renewable port generation. Health cost savings using cold ironing and a different mix of generations are calculated, and these results strongly signal the importance of cold ironing. Conclusions : Cold ironing is indeed an effective anti-pollution measure. Its use to reduce polluting emissions is to be strongly recommended. Investments are cost-effective versus health costs and are sustainable by all parties.