With the completion of shore power installation on Volendam, Holland America Line’s entire fleet is now shore power-capable.
Cruise line Holland America has completed the installation of shore power technology aboard its ship Volendam, which was connected to shoreside electricity in Vancouver, BC for the first full day on September 27.
The cruise line began converting ships to have shore power connectivity in 2006, beginning with its four Vista Class ships. HAL’s Pinnacle Class ships—Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam, and Rotterdam—were all built with shore power systems installed, and its Signature Class ships, Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam, were launched with partial installations that have since been completed.
With shore power installation completed on Volendam, Holland America’s entire fleet now has the ability to use the technology at ports around the world.
Related: Cunard Enables Shore Power Capability Across the Fleet
Why is Holland America using shore power for its cruise ships?
Holland America uses shore power, sometimes called “cold ironing”, as part of its sustainability initiatives to cut emissions and noise in port.
Shore power operates by hooking the ship into a dockside source, which allows the ship to run all electrical equipment on board without using the ship’s engines. Currently, Holland America can link at more than 18 ports globally, with more than 25 additional ports actively building or studying shore power infrastructure.
“At Holland America Line, our legacy of exceptional on-board care extends to caring for the planet, and having our entire fleet capable of shore power connection is a tremendous milestone in our sustainability efforts,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America.
“We have committed to reducing our carbon emission intensity 20% by 2030 from our 2019 baseline, and we’re on our way to reaching that goal through a variety of initiatives that include shore power. We look forward to more global ports embracing shore power capability in the future and are ready to work with them to connect,” Antorcha continued in a press release.
Ports offering shore power connectivity that Holland America ships visit include:
- Juneau, Alaska
- New York City
- San Francisco
- San Diego
- Seattle
- Halifax, NS
- Montréal
- Vancouver
- Bergen, Norway
- Ålesund, Norway
- Kristiansand, Norway
- Kiel, Germany
- Shanghai, China
- Xiamen, China
The port of Rotterdam is expected to be shore-power ready in 2024, allowing Holland America ships to connect in another of its major ports.
Holland America’s other sustainability efforts
In addition to shore power, Holland America Line has been demonstrating its commitment to environmentally responsible practices through a comprehensive fleetwide program that emphasizes waste reduction and recycling, compliance with all international environmental guidelines, and lower-emission propulsion technology.
Single-use plastics are not permitted on board, and Holland America has begun to dramatically eliminate other non-essential single-use products. Plastic soda or water bottles, stir sticks, straws, bags, as well as single-use food packets like ketchup, mustard, and salt, are no longer used by the company.
Water and soda are now sold in recyclable glass and aluminum containers. Plastic straws have given way to biodegradable straws, while plastic hot and cold beverage containers have been replaced with plant- or paper-based alternatives.
“We’ve made our packaging changes in a thoughtful manner to ensure that we can both reduce our footprint and also maintain our outstanding guest experience,” explained Antorcha.
Holland America has also installed biodigesters to reduce food loss and waste. The technology employs oxygen, water, and microbes to break down and liquefy uneaten food before it is released back into nature. The process aids in the reduction of methane and carbon dioxide emissions caused by the ocean’s natural food decomposition processes.
Food waste dehydrators are an alternative technique of processing leftovers that has the potential to reduce waste volume by 90%. Dehydrators will be installed across the Holland America Line fleet by the end of 2023 to reduce the overall volume of organic waste.
More news about Holland America Line
- Morimoto By Sea Opens Aboard Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam
- Holland America Completes Installation of Starlink Internet Fleetwide
- Holland America Line Installs SpaceX’s Starlink Internet Aboard More Than Half Its Fleet
- Holland America Completes Shore Power Connectivity Installation Fleetwide
- Holland America Line Launches Global Fresh Fish Program
- Holland America Line’s 2025 Europe Season Focuses on Longer Cruises and More Overnight Stays
What do you think about Holland America completing shore power connectivity installation? Are you more likely to choose a cruise line that can use shore power? Let me know in the comments below!
