San Francisco Examiner News

According to a report from The San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco launched California’s first shoreside electrical power supply for cruise ships docked at the waterfront. The Port calculated that the shoreside power supply will prevent 140 pounds of diesel soot emissions and 1.3 tons of airborne nitrogen oxide emissions for every 10-hour ship call. It will also reduce carbon dioxide by 19.7 tons. This new system, developed by Princess Cruises in 2001, is not only the first in the state but just the fourth in the world, according to port officials. (Source: The San Francisco Examiner)

The planned South City ferry service will remove an estimated 265 cars from Bay Area bridges during rush hour, according to an environmental impact report released last week. According to the San Francisco Examiner, the report also found that an Oakland-South City ferry route would pose mostly insignificant environmental impacts on the land surrounding the Oyster Point Yacht Club, where a ferry terminal is scheduled for construction. The South City route is geared toward attracting East Bay residents who work in the city’s growing biotech center. Though the agency has received roughly $31 million in state, federal and local dollars to buy two boats and build the terminal…

San Francisco’s cruise ship industry is booming. After years of declining business, the dry dock’s return to financial health means blue-collar jobs growth, tourist spending by visiting crews, sales tax for the city and fees for the Port of San Francisco. At least six, and possibly eight, cruise ships will be dry-docked there this year, up from one in 2000. Each contract generally ranges from $1 million to $5 million for piping, electrical, plumbing and painting upgrades. Millions more go to subcontractors, some of them local firms, that work on refurbishing cabins and redoing casinos, for example. Local businesses and city coffers also get a piece of the spending.