Shorepower

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Shorepower (also known as Shore Supply, especially in the UK) is a land-based power source such as an electric utility company, but also possibly a generator, which supplies power to a marine vessel when in harbour. This is the same as regular household electric power, but it is less common on boats than in homes, hence the distinctive name. The term can also be applied to aircraft or land-based vehicles (such as campers and heavy trucks with sleeping compartments), which may have power requirements when main engines are not operating.

Boats that are not connected to shorepower may

• not need electrical power, or
• have batteries, recharged either by
  • a powered generator, perhaps connected to the vessel's main engine(s), or
  • wind- or solar-powered recharging systems, or
  • other ways of recharging the batteries

Boats that are connected to shorepower only need sufficient battery capacity to last until the next shorepower connection.

Batteries on a vessel may be used to power an inverter capable of producing alternating current which can be used instead of the shorepower connection.