Port of Halifax will be the first port in Atlantic Canada to implement shore power for cruise ships, beginning with the 2014 cruise season.
Shore power is a highly effective way to reduce marine diesel air emissions by enabling ships to shut down their engines and connect to the electrical grid in order to provide necessary power while docked. This $10 million initiative represents the second shore power installation for cruise ships in Canada. Transport Canada will contribute up to $5 million to the project. The Province of Nova Scotia and Port of Halifax will each contribute an additional $2.5 million.
Once installed, shore power at the Port of Halifax will have immediate benefits by decreasing cruise ship idling by seven per cent, and will contribute to improved air quality and human health. This percentage is expected to increase over time as more ships equipped for shore power use the facilities. The seven-per-cent reduction represents an annual decrease of approximately 123,000 litres of fuel and 370,000 kilograms of greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions.