MV Jean Anne Makes History as First U.S. Ro-Ro to Plug Into Shore Power

By VOICES Staff.

The United States just hit a major clean-maritime milestone at the Port of San Diego, where Pasha Hawaii’s MV Jean Anne became the first roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) vessel in the nation to connect to shore power. This achievement also marks the first-ever shore-powered pure car/truck carrier (PCTC) in America, setting a new standard for low-emission port operations and the future of U.S.-flag shipping.

For residents living near the port, this is a public-health victory. For American maritime, it’s further proof that U.S.-built, U.S.-crewed vessels set the pace for clean, resilient supply chains. 

When a ship plugs into shore power, it turns off its diesel engines and runs entirely on electricity. That single change eliminates the pollutants that disproportionately impact port-adjacent communities.

“Securing ship generator engines and stopping those emissions eliminates particulate matter, the number one reason for respiratory disease around port communities. It eliminates sulfur, which, when combined with moisture, creates sulfuric acid, resulting in acid rain. And it eliminates other pollutants like nitrous oxide and also eliminates greenhouse gases,” said Ed Washburn, SVP Fleet Operations, Pasha Hawaii. 

This is especially meaningful at the Port’s National City Marine Terminal, one of the busiest vehicle-handling terminals on the West Coast, processing roughly 400,000 vehicles annually. 

While container ships and cruise ships have slowly adopted shore power, ro-ro and vehicle carriers have lagged due to different voltage standards and more complex electrical requirements. The Port of San Diego and The Pasha Group solved a problem no one else in the U.S. had cracked.

Washburn described the biggest lesson learned:

“Plan early! Because National City Marine Terminal is a ro-ro port, the AMP standard voltage (11KV) differs from the container ship standard voltage (6.6KV). In addition to the Jean Anne, Pasha Hawaii operates a ConRo (Marjorie C) that calls both ro-ro and container ports. We had to create a special design to be able to utilize both ports.”

This first-of-its-kind setup now becomes a blueprint for ro-ro ports across the United States, and for other ships in Pasha Hawaii’s fleet.

The Port of San Diego is emerging as the country’s go-to testbed for zero-emission port technology. The Jean Anne’s shore-power milestone fits into a growing list of national firsts:

• First all-electric mobile harbor cranes in North America
• First all-electric tugboat in the U.S. — Crowley’s eWolf
• First West Coast deployment of battery-electric yard tractors
• A renewable-powered microgrid for terminal operations

More than $227 million has been committed to port electrification since 2021, making the Port of San Diego a model of how U.S. ports can strengthen community health and improve operations. 

One of the factors behind this project is the Jones Act — the U.S. law that requires cargo moving between U.S. ports to be transported on American-built, American-owned, American-crewed vessels. This provides maritime companies with stability to invest in their infrastructure and engage in long-term, strategic planning. 

“The stability provided by the Jones Act allows U.S. companies like Pasha Hawaii to confidently make the kinds of investments needed to meet these environmental standards, protecting commerce and communities. That is evidenced by our investments not only in shore power capabilities, but our dual fuel ships and the resilient terminal we are building in Honolulu,” said Washburn. 

These kinds of investments require decades-long planning horizons. That stability exists only because American maritime companies know the U.S. market cannot be undercut by foreign-flag carriers. Instead, Jones Act companies are active members of their community, supporting careers, the environment and public needs. 

All the while, the Jones Act carriers support American sealift capacity, which we cannot trust foreign carriers to take on. 

Beyond clean air, shore power reinforces something fundamental: a reliable, secure American maritime supply chain, especially for non-contiguous states like Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico.

“These U.S. communities require the same speed, reliability, and access to products and services like any other U.S. residents, even an ocean away,” said Washburn. 

“Jean Anne was designed and built specifically for the Hawaii market to meet the need for automobiles, construction equipment, and oversize cargo of every shape and size. As members of the US maritime industry, we are proud to deliver for our neighbors every day,” Washburn continued. 

Since the tragic Maui Fires, carriers like Pasha Hawaii have been critical to rebuilding efforts on the Island. This is only possible because of the capacity of Jones Act ships like the Jean Anne. 

Jean Anne’s shore-power connection shows what’s possible when:

• A U.S. port prioritizes community health
• A U.S. operator invests for the long term
• and a U.S. maritime law creates the stability needed to innovate

This is a national model for clean ports and a reminder that the American maritime industry is not only vital to national security — it’s capable of leading the global transition to smarter, healthier port operations.