Shore power will reduce container vessel emissions at Port of Prince Rupert

Shore power will reduce container vessel emissions at Port of Prince Rupert

Vessels berthed at Fairview Terminal will be able to switch to electric power

July 5, 2021 | IMPRESS

While construction crews gear up to expand Fairview Container Terminal, there is a simultaneous project underway to help reduce greenhouse gases and other emissions from the ships that call on the facility. A team led by the Prince Rupert Port Authority is installing shore power capacity at the terminal, so that vessels docked there can rely on hydroelectric power while their cargo is loaded and unloaded.

“Container vessels at berth will be able to shut down their main engines when plugged into shore power, eliminating the majority of the greenhouse gases and other air emissions from those ships,” said Jason Scherr, PRPA’s Manager of Environmental Sustainability, who has spearheaded the shore power project.

Earlier this year, staff from PRPA, BC Hydro, and DP World Prince Rupert worked with electrical contractors and the engineers aboard the ship CSCL Summer to successfully test the equipment at the terminal. Scherr said, “work continues, and we expect to commission both berths and have the equipment operational when the next phase of the Fairview Terminal expansion is completed in 2022.”

The shore power project is part of PRPA’s own Carbon Reduction Strategy, which aims to reduce the Port’s greenhouse gas intensity by 30 percent from 2018 levels by the year 2030 and reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. According to Scherr, “the emissions savings from shore power at Fairview Terminal will help PRPA account for half of this aggressive reduction target.”

“Our local and regional efforts have a global impact.”

Lowering or eliminating emissions at the Prince Rupert Gateway is a constant process, that relies on the commitment of many Port partners and stakeholders to make their own investments in green technology. Beyond providing a power source for vessels, PRPA offers direct financial incentives to encourage members of the shipping industry to modernize their fleets. Through its Green Wave program, PRPA rewards ship owners by lowering fees for commercial vessels that exceed environmental performance standards.

“At the Prince Rupert Port Authority, we strive to advance stewardship and sustainability through collaboration,” said Scherr. “We hold ourselves to a high standard, but we cannot implement broad changes on our own. By working together with other organizations and businesses, through initiatives like the shore power project and Green Wave program, our local and regional efforts have a global impact.”

Learn more about the PRPA’s carbon reduction strategy at rupertport.com/sustainability