Mike Watts’s journey into shore power, starting with that pivotal meeting with Princess Cruises in 2004, truly stands out as a foundational moment in the cruise industry’s environmental transformation. He stumbled upon a challenge that would define his career and significantly contribute to reducing emissions in ports worldwide.
A Pioneer’s Journey
Princess Cruises pioneered the world’s first cruise ship shore power system in Juneau, Alaska, in 2001. The subsequent challenge was to extend this concept to other ports. They approached Russ Watts, then with Cochran Electric, to develop a more scalable and efficient solution. Though new to shore power, Watts, with his high-voltage commercial project experience, embraced the challenge.
The new design was first implemented at the Port of Seattle’s former Terminal 30 cruise facility. Watts and his team, collaborating with partners, achieved the unprecedented feat of completing the design, engineering, manufacturing, installation, and commissioning in under six months, a project that would typically take two to three years. Watts credits this rapid success to strong collaboration and engagement with stakeholders, including the Port and the city.
Watts initially viewed the Princess project as a one-off, but it proved to be the genesis of the cruise industry’s green transformation. He capitalized on this early involvement, aligning his work with evolving industry regulations that increasingly mandated shore power to reduce emissions. The Port of Seattle has set an ambitious goal for 100% of homeport cruise ships to connect to shore power by 2027.
Roots in the Electrical Industry
Watts’ journey began over 30 years ago in the general marine electrical industry, before specializing in shore power. In 2005, he founded Cochran Marine as a dedicated division for this growing niche.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, when Cochran Electric decided to refocus on its core business, Watts seized the opportunity. In 2021, he and his wife Brenda acquired Cochran Marine, relaunching it as Watts Marine. This was a significant “leap of faith,” as Watts acknowledged, given the severe impact of COVID-19 on the cruise industry and the uncertain recovery.
Despite the pandemic’s challenges, Watts Marine thrived. Under the Cochran Marine banner, Watts and his team had already installed 10 shore power systems across North America in ports including Vancouver, San Francisco, San Diego, Long Beach, Halifax, and Brooklyn. In 2024, Watts installed their 11th system at Pier 66 in Seattle.
During the COVID-19 period, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) was actively developing guidance that would eventually lead to fleetwide retrofitting for shore power compatibility, signaling a clear “green pivot” for the industry. This convergence of regulation and Watts’ expertise led to a surge in connections: from 480 shore power connections in one season to 850 the next between 2021 and 2022. Watts expressed his surprise, stating, “We were just hoping to break even… But wow, we were surprised.”
Innovation at the Docks
Installing shore power at Pier 66 presented unique challenges due to restricted space and a lack of nearby electrical infrastructure. A Port engineer, in collaboration with Watts, the Port, and Seattle City Light, devised a creative solution: installing a submersible cable at Pier 46 that connected with Pier 66, drawing power from a more accessible substation. This innovative approach circumvented the on-site limitations.
At nearby Pier 91, existing substations simplified the process, but the work still demanded significant coordination and innovation to integrate the shore power infrastructure seamlessly into the existing marine terminals.
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Source: Port of Seattle
