Vancouver Port Completes Shore Power Project to Reduce GHG Emissions

December 4, 2018

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority has completed a project aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions by enabling ships to shut down their diesel engines and connect to an electrical grid supplied by renewable energy sources.

Illustration. Image Courtesy: Pixabay under CC0 Creative Commons license

For each large ship at berth for 60 hours, over 95 tons of air pollutants and greenhouse emissions will be eliminated from the port through the shore power facility. This amounts to taking 20 cars off the road for one year, according to Transport Canada.

By providing ship operators with an alternative to running diesel auxiliary engines while docked, shore power technology also reduces noise associated with running engines, decreases ship owners’ fuel costs, and increases the competitiveness of Canadian ports, Transport Canada explained.

Through the Shore Power Technology for Ports program, the Government of Canada and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority have each contributed CAD 3.5 million (USD 2.7 million) to the Centerm project, for a total investment of CAD 7 million.

“By taking action to reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution, we are improving the lives of Canadians while investing in the future of clean transportation. New and emerging technologies are laying the groundwork for Canada’s present and future economic growth,” Marc Garneau, the country’s Minister of Transport, commented.

“Installing shore power at DP World’s Centerm container terminal represents another positive step towards improving air quality by reducing marine shipping emissions. We are very proud of the collaboration with the Government of Canada and our terminal operations partner DP World to bring shore power to this facility, and are working to expand the program to other terminals in the Port of Vancouver,” Robin Silvester, President and Chief Executive Officer,Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, said.

#DYK: Since 2009, #ShorePower installations @PortVancouver terminals have eliminated 524 tonnes of air pollutants and 18,264 tonnes of greenhouse gases https://t.co/EG0KpoMbeZ pic.twitter.com/iSLNjSOqtt

— Transport Canada (@Transport_gc) December 3, 2018

Canada’s Shore Power Technology for Ports program has invested over CAD 19.5 million in Canadian port authorities, terminal operators and ferry operators to support the deployment of marine shore power technology. The initiative also supports the implementation of North American Emission Control Area requirements for marine vessels to use cleaner fuels.