GCT Deltaport welcomes first shore-powered vessel at Roberts Bank

GCT Canada welcomed the MSC Meline as the first vessel to use GCT Deltaport’s shore-power system on November 14, 2019. Completed in early 2019, this transformative technology allows vessels to plug into the clean electrical power grid at GCT Deltaport and turn off their auxiliary diesel engines while docked. This eliminates up to 95 tonnes of air pollutants per vessel – equivalent to removing 20 vehicles off the road for one year.

The project was achieved through the collaborative funding of the Government of Canada Shore Power Technology for Ports program and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, each contributing $3.4 million for a total investment of $6.8 million. GCT provided auxiliary project implementation support as part of GCT Canada’s efforts to increase its competitiveness and deliver on its global commitment to sustainability.

Shore power reduces the fuel consumption of container ships while at berth by allowing auxiliary engines to shut down and the ship to be powered by the electrical grid, which are predominantly hydroelectric based, resulting in lower greenhouse gas. Over time, as more ships are equipped to connect to this technology and more terminals offer connections, the emission reduction benefits will significantly increase. Shore power also reduces the noise associated with running ship engines.