Twenty-five years ago, Princess Cruises helped transform the future of cruising in Alaska by becoming the first cruise line to connect a ship to Juneau’s hydroelectric shore power system. That pioneering partnership continues to serve as a model for ports around the world while delivering lasting environmental and community benefits.

Since 2001, Princess Cruises, the City and Borough of Juneau and Alaska Electric Light & Power (AEL&P) have worked together to connect cruise ships to Juneau’s local hydroelectric power grid, allowing ships to shut down their engines while in port and significantly reduce emissions. What began as a groundbreaking initiative has since become a global best practice, inspiring shore power adoption at 41 cruise ports around the world.

By the Numbers

• 25 years of shore power operations in Juneau
• First cruise line to connect to shore power in Juneau (2001)
• Nearly 60 years sailing Alaska
• 1,725 shore power connections
• 123,668,490 million kilowatt-hours of hydroelectric power used
• 84,533.60 metric tons of emissions avoided
• $11,242,400 in Community Partnership (COPA) credits benefiting the Juneau community

“For 25 years, our partnership with the City and Borough of Juneau and Alaska Electric Light & Power has demonstrated what’s possible when industry, government and local communities work together toward a common goal,” said Gus Antorcha, President of Princess Cruises. “Together, we’ve helped pioneer a technology that has transformed cruise operations around the world while delivering meaningful environmental and community benefits in Alaska. Protecting the destinations our guests love to explore has always been part of who we are, and we’re proud to continue building on that legacy. As we celebrate this milestone, we remain committed to investing in innovations that support the future of cruising in the Great Land.”

A Partnership That Changed the Industry

Creating the world’s first shore power system in Juneau required vision, innovation and unprecedented collaboration. Connecting large cruise ships to the city’s small, isolated hydroelectric grid was a complex undertaking that continues to stand as a remarkable engineering achievement. Today there are 41 ports around the world with shore power installations.

Over the past 25 years, that collaboration has helped reduce emissions while ships are in port, improve local air quality and establish Juneau as one of the world’s leading examples of successful shore power implementation.

“We remain proud to be the port that pioneered shore power and of the ongoing public private partnership that made it happen,” said Beth Weldon, Mayor of the City and Borough of Juneau. “This is a great example of diverse parties coming together to do groundbreaking work and we look forward to future opportunities for collaboration to expand shore power in Juneau.”

“For 25 years, Princess Cruises has been an exceptional partner in making shore power a reality in Juneau,” said Alec Mesdag, President and Chief Executive Officer, Alaska Electric Light & Power. “Connecting cruise ships to our small, isolated electric grid requires innovation, trust and close collaboration, and Princess has embraced that challenge from the very beginning. Together, we’ve reduced emissions, improved air quality, benefited our community and helped establish Juneau as a global leader in shore power.”

Continuing a Legacy in Alaska

Princess Cruises has sailed to Alaska for nearly 60 years and remains committed to helping preserve the state’s extraordinary natural beauty while supporting the communities that welcome its guests.

Today, Princess ships continue to connect to shore power in Juneau whenever available, using locally generated hydroelectric power while in port. The cruise line continues to invest in technologies and operational practices that improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions throughout its fleet.