PORT ANGELES — Oil tankers and other shipping vessels are plugging into Port Angeles — literally.

A $275,000 Port of Port Angeles project allows these ships to hook into city of Port Angeles power to keep their fire systems and crew services operating while they are docked at Terminal No. 1 for maintenance.

This service, known as cold ironing, creates a revenue generator for the port and also allows the shipping companies to keep from burning the 10 tons of marine diesel fuel a day that would be used to keep the ships powered while docked.

The electrical power supply cuts the amount of diesel pollution in the air.

No information was available on the amount of pollution near Port Angeles, but a 2006 Seattle Times analysis of federal air-quality data found that neighborhoods near the Port of Seattle and Port of Tacoma had some of the unhealthiest air in the state because of diesel pollution.

Diesel soot is linked to cancer and asthma.

The Times’ analysis of the port’s diesel pollution shows that docked ships spew the most soot, by far.

Plugging into the Port of Port Angeles also saves the oil companies money and frees up some of the employees on the ship, making Port Angeles a more attractive place to stop for repairs and inspections, said port Executive Director Bob McChesney.

“It cements our competitive advantage,” he said.

“The response has been terrific.

“The shipping companies love it.”

Though the service wasn’t fully installed, it was first used on Aug. 8 by using portable hookups because there was a great demand for the service, McChesney said.

“Shipping companies wanted to use it as quickly as they could,” he said.

How does it work?

Four cables from a transformer at the terminal run under the dock to a metal cage, known as a vault, at the edge of the dock, and then run up to the ship, where they are hooked into its power system.

The four large electrical plugs cost $5,000 each, said Gerald Demetriff, port public works manager.

“They are plugs just like at home that plug into an outlet,” just bigger, he said.

The port receives $300 per day for the electrical hook-up, which provides 480 volts and 1,800 amps of electricity, McChesney said.

The ConocoPhillips, Inc. Polar Discovery oil tanker began using the fully operational service on Sept. 28.

The ship will be docked in Port Angeles until Oct. 20. Cold ironing will generate $6,600 for the port.

Michael Nimmo, port marine facilities manager, said that about 30 ConocoPhillips employees are living on the ship while it is docked in Port Angeles.

Nimmo said the terminal was used by shipping companies for 150 days last year.

If the electrical service had been provided, the port would have generated $45,000 in revenue last year from cold ironing.

Demetriff said a ship will use about $1,000 worth of electricity per day, which is billed to the city through the port.

The port is currently operating with one transformer, but a second transformer will be installed to allow ships to access the electrical hook-up no matter which direction it is facing.

The two transformers, bought from the city, cost $47,500 each.

Demetriff said the transformers were purchased from the city, because as the utility provider, it was able to acquire them for a lesser cost than the port would have been able to.

McChesney said ports have been moving toward using cold ironing for container ships over the last 10 years in order to reduce pollution.

He didn’t know what other ports in the Pacific Northwest utilize cold ironing.

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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or tom.callis@peninsula

dailynews.com.