Port of San Diego and the Pasha Group achieve clean air milestone
The Port of San Diego and Pasha Automotive Services have successfully commissioned a roll-on/roll-off vessel for shore power, marking a first-of-its-kind achievement in the United States.
This milestone also represents the first-ever shore power connection for a domestic pure car/truck carrier-a vessel designed exclusively for transporting vehicles.
Pasha Hawaii's MV Jean Anne is a Jones Act-qualified ro-ro vessel that transports cars, trucks, heavy machinery, and additional cargo between the Port of San Diego and the Port of Honolulu.
The Jean Anne and the MV Marjorie C are homeported at the Port of San Diego. On October 29, 2025, Jean Anne successfully connected to the first shore power system installed at the National City Marine Terminal and passed all testing, enabling shore power utilization while at berth going forward.
Shore power allows vessels to connect to the local electrical grid rather than relying on diesel power while at berth. This reduces release of air pollutants including nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and diesel particulate matter, as well as greenhouse gas emissions.
Chair Danielle Moore, Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners, stated that this accomplishment cannot be understated it means healthier and happier people and families in National City and testifies to how real progress is anchored in a commitment to the wellbeing of the neighboring communities, the workforce, and future generations.
George Pasha IV, President and CEO of The Pasha Group added they invested in outfitting the Jean Anne and the Marjorie C earlier this year to enable shore power connections, and this successful commissioning represents a meaningful step toward reducing emissions.
Pasha Distribution Services also utilizes all-electric car haulers at National City Marine Terminal, another first at any US port.
The Port added the single shore power plug at the National City Marine Terminal at a cost of US$6.6 million, including US$2.5 million in grant funding from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust for California, administered by the California Air Resources Board.
All four of the Port's marine terminals two cargo facilities at the National City and Tenth Avenue Marine Terminals, and two cruise terminals at B Street and Broadway Piers now have shore power available. In 2010, the Port of San Diego was among the first US ports to install shore power for ocean-going vessels.
Shore power systems support the Port's Maritime Clean Air Strategy, which aims to improve environmental and public health through cleaner air while supporting efficient, modern, and sustainable maritime operations. Specifically, it supports the goal to reduce emissions from ocean-going vessels.
It also advances the Port's commitment to the California Air Resources Board's At-Berth Regulation requiring ro-ro vessels to utilize shore power or an exhaust capture control system, also known as a bonnet, which is a barge-based system that captures and filters air pollutants from the vessel's stack while at berth.
The National City Marine Terminal now has both shore power and bonnet systems.
