The installation of shore power facilities for container vessels at two Port Metro Vancouver container terminals, with the financial participation from Transport Canada, will reduce pollutant air emissions and noise. The total project funding of $12 million was announced Wednesday July 22, 2015. Half of the budget comes from Transport Canada’s Shore Power Technology for Ports Program and $6 million from Port Metro Vancouver.

Shore power reduces emissions by allowing vessels to draw power from the local electrical grid and thereby turn off their diesel engines while in port. Shore power technology will be installed at a berth at Global Container Terminal’s Deltaport terminal -also a Green Marine participant- and at a berth at DP World Vancouver’s Centerm Container terminal. Each ship connection to shore power is estimated to avoid 75 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. Both shore power operations are expected to be operational by March 31, 2017.

Port Metro Vancouver was the first port in Canada to implement shore power for cruise ships, and since 2009, over 11,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions have been avoided.