Cold Ironing: An Analysis of Policies and Its Implementation in Europe with a Focus on the Italian Context and the Future Prospects in Sardinia

This article studies the policies and current state of Cold Ironing. The research reveals that on the one hand this policy was successfully implemented in Alaska twenty years ago, while its development in Europe is recent and not widespread. The Port of Gothenburg is one of the leading ports in Europe, which has developed several sustainable maritime policies such as shore power and methanol propulsion. In Italy, several challenges, such as different electricity supply requirements and high electricity supply costs, hinder the implementation of Cold Ironing. However, the proximity of Italian ports to urban centers offers opportunities to promote cold ironing technology and mitigate port emissions. The implementation of cold ironing in Europe, Italy and particularly Sardinia, offers significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote further sustainable maritime practices.