Callao Becomes Latin America's First Cold Ironing Port

Shore Power Arrives in South America

The Port of Callao in Peru has become the first port in South America to offer cold ironing to merchant vessels, according to a report by The Maritime Executive. The new shore power system lets ships switch off their auxiliary engines and draw renewable electricity from the grid while alongside, rather than burning fuel to keep systems running during port calls.

Part of a Billion-Dollar Investment Program

The shore power installation was funded through DP World’s broader infrastructure push in Peru, which totals roughly $1 billion across the country’s ports, with about $400 million allocated specifically to Callao. The cold-ironing project was folded into that wider scope of works rather than developed as a standalone initiative.

The system has been engineered to accommodate the largest container ships calling at the port. Operators estimate it will prevent more than 6,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, equating to roughly 30 tonnes avoided per port call. Importantly, the infrastructure is already compatible with much of the current calling fleet: four of the seven vessels serving the core weekly Asia-South America rotation at Callao are equipped to plug into shore power.

Local Air Quality and Political Reaction

Beyond the carbon reduction, the project is expected to cut health-related emissions from auxiliary engines by about 90 percent. Nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, and particulate matter from ships’ generators have long been a concern for communities living near busy ports, and reducing reliance on onboard diesel generation while berthed should measurably improve air quality around Peru’s largest container terminal.

Peru’s President Keiko Fujimori highlighted the significance of the milestone in a statement, noting that the technology remains rare globally. She pointed out that only about 3 percent of the world’s ports currently have shore power capability, framing Callao’s achievement as placing Peru among a select group of maritime hubs adopting the system.

What It Means for Owners and Managers

For ship operators calling at Callao, the arrival of cold ironing changes the calculus around vessel readiness and port call planning. Vessels that are not yet fitted with shore power connection equipment may find themselves at a competitive disadvantage as terminals increasingly favor — or eventually require — plug-in capability, particularly as more jurisdictions move toward emissions regulations tied to port electrification. Owners managing vessels on Asia-South America trades should confirm whether their ships’ electrical systems and connection standards are compatible with Callao’s installation, since retrofitting shore power connections involves lead time and cost that is best planned well in advance.

This development also underscores the growing role of technical surveys and condition assessments in verifying a vessel’s readiness for shore power integration. As ports across Latin America potentially follow Callao’s lead, operators would do well to incorporate electrical system compatibility checks into routine condition surveys, particularly for vessels regularly trading into ports investing in cold-ironing infrastructure. Superintendents overseeing fleet upgrades may also want to factor shore power connectivity into newbuild specifications and retrofit budgets, given that DP World’s broader $1 billion investment signals sustained momentum behind electrification at major Latin American terminals.

A Signal for the Region

While Callao is currently the only port in South America offering cold ironing, the scale of DP World’s regional investment suggests other Peruvian ports — and potentially competing terminals elsewhere in Latin America — could follow suit. For now, Callao’s shore power system stands as a notable first for the region, combining emissions reduction with public health benefits for port-adjacent communities, and setting a benchmark that other terminals in the hemisphere may eventually be measured against.