PortMiami (Florida USA) has introduced shore power for docked ships, with Carnival Conquest representing Carnival Corporation & plc at the inaugural event. This development marks PortMiami as the first major cruise port on the USA's eastern seaboard to offer shoreside power connections at 5 cruise berths. The installation is through a partnership between Miami-Dade County, Florida Power & Light Company, and several major cruise lines including Carnival Corporation.
Carnival Conquest's selection for the inaugural connection follows Carnival Corporation surpassing its 2030 shore power goal in 2023, 7 years ahead of schedule. The company now leads the industry with 67% of its fleet shore power-capable, doubling the number of ships able to "plug in" compared to ports equipped to provide shore power. Shore power enables cruise operators to switch off ship engines while in port and use energy from the local electric grid to power onboard systems, significantly reducing emissions by up to 98%, depending on the energy source mix.
Carnival Corporation is committed to using shoreside electricity when available and operationally feasible, working with ports worldwide to prioritize this capability. Shore power is part of the company's broader decarbonization strategy, which aims for net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Due to ongoing emission reduction efforts, Carnival Corporation has achieved a more than 10% reduction in total GHG emissions since 2011, despite a roughly 30% increase in capacity during that period.