Prince Rupert Port celebrates 10 years of its Green Wave Program

The Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) is marking the tenth anniversary of its Green Wave program, which provides financial incentives to shippers who voluntarily invest in environmentally sustainable practices.

Since 2013, commercial vessels have been assessed and allotted savings on their harbour dues based on the magnitude of their air emission and underwater noise performance.

In 2022, PRPA introduced a new incentive for cargo vessels that plug into shore power at Fairview Container Terminal. This recently expanded infrastructure allows ships at both berths to shut down their main generators and rely on shore-based hydroelectric power while their cargo is handled.

Enabling ships to use shore power equipment is expected to reduce carbon emissions in the local airshed by nearly 30,000 tonnes annually – the equivalent to removing 6,500 typical passenger vehicles from the road every year.

PRPA said that it would continue to enhance and adapt the Green Wave program standards to meet the evolving best practices recognized across the global maritime industry.

To mark the anniversary, the port authority is honouring five companies for their ‘outstanding ‘ participation in the initiative last year.

The recipients of the 2022 Green Wave Award include container shipping companies COSCO Shipping Lines, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, and SM Line, along with liquified gas shipping line, Navigator Gas LLC, and BC Ferries.

PRPA also acknowledged the owners of two vessels – PIAVIA and NBA Rubens – for actively employing technology to reduce the underwater noise generated by their respective ships and its impact on the communications of marine mammals on the North Coast.

Quick facts about the program

• 208 vessel calls met the strict criteria to qualify for the Green Wave program in 2022
• 42 of those calls met the standards for Green Wave under the RightShip Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) Rating. As a result, approximately 4,785 tonnes of GHG emissions were avoided in the local airshed, which is equivalent to removing 1,008 passenger vehicles from the road for a year, data from the port shows.  
• The Port of Prince Rupert is one of only two ports in Canada to currently provide shore power to container vessels at berth.
• 2022 marked the inaugural call for the SHOFU MARU vessel, a new bulk carrier equipped with a telescopic hard sail that uses wind power to help propel the vessel, significantly reducing the amount of fuel used on each sailing.

“The Prince Rupert Port Authority commends the recipients of the 2022 Green Wave Award for their shared commitment to reducing the impacts of commercial shipping operations and passenger transportation on Canada’s west coast,” said Shaun Stevenson, President and CEO, Prince Rupert Port Authority.

“PRPA is proud of its leadership in sustainability programs and the participation rate it garners from the shipping industry calling on the Port of Prince Rupert as we all work together to continuously improve environmental performance in our industry and accelerate the adoption of sustainability practices globally.”

The Green Wave program and shore power project are key components of PRPA’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship. Curtailing marine-based air emissions also contributes to PRPA’s goal to reduce carbon intensity at the port by a further 30 percent by 2030, with a further goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.