Renewable port project brings shore power to Australia

Sydney Harbour will be home to a world-first renewable energy precinct that will provide international bulk ships and cruise vessels with access to 100 per cent shore power energy.

The precinct, which will be known as Bays Port, will have the world’s first bulk shipping precinct fully supplied by shore power.

It will also house the first shore powered cruise berth in the Southern Hemisphere.

Port Authority of NSW CEO, Captain Philip Holliday, announced the net zero and shore power plan with the support of bulk shipping and cruise industry leaders.

“This is an historic partnership with the Port Authority of NSW investing over $60 million to deliver this infrastructure as the first step, with port users already pledging to retrofit and build ships to take advantage of this technology,” Captain Holliday said.

Ports Australia CEO Michael Gallacher also welcomed the announcement and congratulated the NSW Government, Port Authority of NSW and industry on the work and investment made into shore power.

“With the cruise industry about to resume and 99 per cent of Australia’s trade coming through ports this announcement is a great start for shore power in Australia,” Gallacher said.

“Ports around Australia, along with the Port Authority of NSW are making headways in moving towards a more sustainable future in Australia,” he said.

Shore power is the provision of shoreside electrical power to a ship at berth while its main auxiliary engines are shut down. This will reduce air pollution emissions associated with consumption of fuel.

Gallacher said by utilising renewable energy, this precinct will also reduce greenhouse gases.

“Through the renewable energy precinct at Sydney’s Bays Port shore power will remove up to 14,000 tons of CO2 over a 12-month period,” he said.

This is the equivalent to removing over 4000 passenger vehicles off the road or planting over 70,000 trees every year.

In a statement, Ports Australia said the announcement is a perfect example how government and industry are partnering together and moving towards a sustainable future

“Presently, 35 per cent of cruise ships globally are fitted to use shore power and operators of cruise ships and bulk ships visiting Port Authority of NSW’s berths have pledged to retro fit or build ships with shore power capability,” the peak industry body said.

The first berth is expected to come online in 2024.

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