Investigating relationships between shore power utilization and characteristics of ships and berths

Shore power (SP) is widely recognized as an efficient strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from vessels while docked at ports. Nevertheless, many SP systems are used irregularly, which results in inefficient emission reduction. This study evaluates SP implementation and utilization in China in 2022 using data from 18,724 ships and 6,551 berths. The primary objective is to identify discrepancies in SP construction and usage, especially with regard to ships and berths that differ in terms of tonnage, types, regions, and other characteristics. Using an apriori algorithm, the study looks into the relationship between SP usage and these unique features. Tailored approaches are proposed to improve SP usage addressing specific barriers that result in the low SP utilization rate among these features. The study also measures the increase in the number of ships using SP and the subsequent decrease in carbon emissions as a consequence of these tactical strategies.