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The Government of Canada and the Port Metro Vancouver have announced the funding for the installation of shore power facilities for container vessels at two of the port's container terminals.

Shore power for ships lowers emissions by allowing vessels to draw power from the local electrical grid and thereby turn off their diesel engines whilst in port, which in turn reduces fuel costs.

Vancouver was the first port in Canada to implement shore power for cruise ships, and since 2009, the Canadian port says that over 11,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions have been avoided. Each ship connection to shore power is estimated to avoid greenhouse gas emissions of 75 tonnes.

The use of shore power at Vancouver's container terminals is set to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contribute to Canada's emissions reduction targets, and assist Vancouver in reaching targets under the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy, a collaboration between Vancouver and the ports of Tacoma and Seattle, to reduce emissions in the shared Puget Sound - Georgia Basin airshed.

The total project funding is $12 million: $6 million from Transport Canada's Shore Power Technology for Ports Program and $6 million from Port Metro Vancouver.

$4.97 million ($2.485 million from Transport Canada, $2.485 million from Port Metro Vancouver) is to be used to install shore power technology at a berth at Global Container Terminal's Deltaport terminal in Delta, B.C.

$7.3 million ($3.8 million from Port Metro Vancouver, $3.5 million from Transport Canada) is to be used for the installation of shore power technology at a berth at DP World Vancouver's Centerm Container terminal in Vancouver., and necessary upgrades on nearby BC Hydro property.

Both shore power operations are expected to be operational by March 31, 2017.

Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Minister of National Revenue and Member of Parliament for Delta-Richmond East, commented: "We are proud to be investing in shore power at Port Metro Vancouver's Centerm and Deltaport container terminals. Federal initiatives such as the Shore Power Technology for Ports Program will not only help the environment and improve our health, but will also position British Columbia's trade sectors to take advantage of growth opportunities, increase revenues and create jobs."

Robin Silvester, President and Chief Executive Officer at Port Metro Vancouver, remarked: "Port Metro Vancouver is mandated to facilitate Canada's trade while protecting the environment and supporting communities. The installation of shore power at container terminals in Vancouver and Delta represents another positive step in ongoing work to reduce marine shipping emissions, work that has resulted in significant improvements in Metro Vancouver air quality. We are very proud of the collaboration between the Government of Canada, Port Metro Vancouver, BC Hydro, DP World and Global Container Terminals to bring shore power facilities for container ships to our port."

Keith Anderson, Vice-President, Customer Service at BC Hydro, said: "Shore power works in B.C. because of our clean hydroelectricity. More than 95 per cent of the electricity BC Hydro generates is clean and that gives industry and businesses in B.C. a huge advantage. By working with Port Metro Vancouver and other stakeholders we've developed a shore power electricity rate that will help promote the use of shore power beyond cruise ships at Canada Place to other ports like the container terminals in Delta and Vancouver."