The Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has begun works to supply electricity to the refrigerated containers that are deposited in the Anaga dock waiting to be shipped or distributed, an initiative that will reduce the sound impact that these units have been registering in this enclave close to the city.
These works are included in the measures that make up the ordinance against noise agreed by the port administration council and whose objective is, precisely, to limit the air pollution that occurs in its ports, either in what refers to the emission of gases contaminants such as noise pollution.
The noise generated by the engines of these refrigerating equipment is precisely one of the sound sources to be reduced, and it will be achieved in the same way that the noise generated by the auxiliary engines of ships in port has been reduced, that is, by means of electrical power supply.
For this, and with an investment of practically 243,000 euros, the wiring ducts for this purpose will be installed within a period of six months, two general electrical panels and 18 turrets for electrical outlets, each with the capacity to connect up to six refrigerated containers at the same time. Therefore, there will be more than a hundred units that will be able to turn off their diesel engines and maintain the cold conditions required only by connecting to the electrical network.
This type of supply is already provided to regular passenger ships in the ports of San Sebastián de La Gomera, Santa Cruz de La Palma and Tenerife, the latter installation in which the platforms docked in the East dock also benefit from the service to keep your emergency equipment, refrigeration and lighting systems active without the need to have the auxiliary motors on.
Ordinance
It should be remembered that the noise ordinance of the Ports of Tenerife establishes the obligation for passenger ships that dock at docks where the electricity supply system is available to connect to the network, as well as containers with refrigerated cargo that are found in terminals with said service.
In order to comply with its policy to reduce gas emissions and noise into the atmosphere at its facilities, Puertos de Tenerife has a plan for
electrification for all its docks with a budget of 48 million euros and financing in Feder funds of 22 million.
With this investment, it is planned to extend the connection points to the electricity grid in the port of Tenerife by another six, distributed among the container terminals of the Dársena del Este, three for cruise ships between Muelle Sur and Muelle de Ribera, in Anaga. The service already provided in the ports of La Palma and La Gomera will also be strengthened and will begin to be offered in those of Los Cristianos and La Estaca.
