New London ―A $5.3 million federal grant will be used to upgrade State Pier with new power components aimed at reducing diesel engine emissions from berthing vessels.

The Connecticut Port Authority this week was one of 55 award applicants selected as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Port Program funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, according to a Friday news release by U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District.

The funding will be used to acquire a mobile shore power unit and install supporting infrastructure at the New London pier, which is used as an assembly area for offshore wind.

Currently, docked ships run their diesel engines or generators for power. The new units will enable the ships to connect to the local power grid to keep onboard systems running.