Many regions and coastal communities are focused on growing their ocean or ”blue” economy.  A major challenge is how to do so without contributing to maritime pollution. Blue economies, which include aquaculture, tourism, commerce, and marine energy, must protect the surrounding water and marine life during operations. Coastal communities and their economy have suffered financial and environmental costs as a result of pollution of their waters. Many of these communities have paid the cost by either losing their livelihoods due to negative environmental factors, being neglected, or finding their economy stagnating over the years.

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By turning to electrification these communities are able to foster growth and address some of the challenges of the blue economy in a sustainable way and protect the marine environment at the same time. VoltSafe Marine’s shore power system will be able to support this effort by providing shore power to electric vessels safely with the benefit of a smart software-a-service marina management system. Docks, marinas and ports will be able to upgrade in an economical way that will also meet safety regulations. 

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Charging Up Electrification

Electrification in the blue economy is vital to protecting our ocean waters and coastal communities.  The move to electrification would foster the growth of the marine renewable energy sector and be a more sustainable form of powering our vessels and docks. In turn, cleaner waters from electrification can drive a stronger ecosystem, generating more jobs in fishing, marine biology, marine energy and marine biodiversity. These jobs require clean water to harvest food, study marine life and collect data. 

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Non-renewable sources of propulsion, fossil fuel spills, and leaks have all harmed our lakes and coastal communities in the past. Pollution to our waters has had devastating effects on local economies. Job loss and stagnation which have carried on for generations have taught these communities that looking to cleaner, more sustainable operations is the solution.

Part of the transition to electrification of docks, ports, and marinas will mean that more efficient and safe electrical pedestals are available and able to support adequate charging levels of the vessels and the devices on board. Newer boats also feature more appliances and elements and consume more power than ever before. This is where VoltSafe Marine can provide a cost effective solution from the hardware to the energy management dashboard and upgrade marinas with innovative charging pedestals from 30-50 Amps and enhance safety on the docks and in the water.

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Powering Down Pollution

Keeping the waters clean is vital to the livelihoods of those in fishing communities. This has driven the need to find solutions to help maintain a clean marine environment. Electrification would reduce the amount of fossil fuel spills and leaks in the water. The Exxon Valdez and BP oil spills were devastating, polluting the waters and harming marine life and shorelines. This destroyed the fishing industries as well as the local tourism and recreation sectors in areas around the spill for years to come. 

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Dock and marina fires also contribute to pollutants and release of toxic chemicals in the air and water nearby. VoltSafe Marine’s exposed contacts will reveal hidden corrosion. Hidden corrosion leads to arcs and sparks which is the leading cause of fires. There is also a built-in overheating sensor that will shut off power if the temperature rises too high. 

Faulty wiring is also a problem that can lead to a fire. Most docks have outdated and pedestals that have not been maintained or repaired due to a lack of personnel or management. VoltSafe’s marina management dashboard will help dock operators stay on top of repairs and maintenance as all issues with pedestals will be detected in real time and logged.

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Current Contamination Reduction

The perils of operating an industry close to water goes beyond the shore. Other than pollution, Electric Shock Deaths (ESD’s) are also a major concern for those in the industry. Freshwater contains less salt than sea water and ocean environments. In a brackish environment electrical currents would have to seek out salt to travel back to ground. Human and sea life would have the required salt in their bodies to help the stray current find its way back to ground. When the current travels into the body it causes paralysis which leads the lifeform to become paralyzed and unable to swim to safety, eventually drowning. 

Current leakage from devices and appliances on boats into the water is the main cause of ESD. VoltSafe Marine’s patented technology detects current leakage at the outlet level and shuts off power to the pedestal. The electrical gateway will stop the transfer of current when the cord is not connected to the pedestal’s outlet. If a VoltSafe Marine cord is accidentally dropped into water, it is safe to pick it up, dry it off and safely reconnect it. The technology can notify boat owners of current leakage from their boat into the water as well as notify marinas and boat owners of other boats leaking current into the water. When the marina owner is notified of current leakage they can turn off the pedestal until the issue is resolved. 

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For those in the tourism and recreational sectors of the blue economy, keeping their guests and employees safe is always at the forefront of their business. 

VoltSafe is excited about being a supporting player in the growth of the blue economy by providing a safe, simple and smart way for the maritime sector to transition to electrification. We are able to help marinas, docks and ports upgrade their aging pedestals in a cost efficient way and, at the same time, deliver the benefit of reduced shore power related perils and reduced costly insurance claims. 

If you would like to learn more about VoltSafe Marine and how we can help your marina, follow us on social and join the conversation. If you are interested in updating marina pedestal upgrades or looking to enhance the efficiency of your dock operations, CONTACT US today.  We can’t wait to connect with you.

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