EXCLUSIVE: New South Wales advances its sustainability journey

The authority manages the navigation, security and operational safety needs of commercial shipping in New South Wales, comprising Sydney Harbour, Port Botany, Newcastle Harbour, Port Kembla, Eden and Yamba.

With over 6000 visits from vessels each year, the authority’s task is to deliver safe and efficient marine services, including harbourmasters, marine pilotage, aids to navigation, vessel traffic services, emergency response, hydrographic surveying, port management, dangerous goods regulations and cruise terminal operations.

Sustainability plan

A framework for sustainable practices was set up by the authority’s Sustainability Plan in 2020. It identifies four focus areas, namely communities and partnerships, environment and places, operations and “ways of working and our people”. All are aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Targets have been set to achieve 75% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 and be Net Zero by 2040, as well as to collaborate and partner with key stakeholders to investigate ways to reduce Scope 3 emissions.

By July 2023, a range of initiatives had been undertaken to understand and address Scope 3 emissions, including setting an emissions baseline and working with stakeholders to identify opportunities for reduction.

In a world first for a dry-bulk precinct and a first in the Southern Hemisphere for a cruise terminal, the authority is in the process of installing and supplying shore power in the Bays Port precinct, allowing ships to power down their auxiliary engines and reduce CO2 emissions, noise and air pollution.

As of January 1 this year, the authority delivered on its commitment to offset the electricity consumption at Bays Port in Sydney Harbour under a renewable power purchase agreement (PPA) for wind and solar power. This will achieve a reduction of up to 14,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year – equivalent to removing 4000 passenger vehicles off the road or planting over 70,000 trees every year.

The authority is on target to achieve a similar result state-wide, offsetting all its electricity consumption with renewable generation under the PPA and, for small sites, via a 100% green energy option through the electricity retailer.

Green initiatives

Other specific sustainability initiatives include a Safe and Sustainable Anchorages Project, an evidence-based approach designed to minimise impacts from anchorages on Port Kembla’s important rocky reef by at least 70%.

Controlling anchoring locations is not only providing safer anchoring but ensuring that seabed scouring is avoided completely in areas identified with the highest conservation value, promoting recovery outside of designated anchorages and prioritising areas most significantly impacted by decades of anchoring activity.

These are among several systems, technologies and upgrades aimed at improving efficiency and safety, mitigating new and potential risks, protecting the environment, and capitalising on future opportunities and growth.

An authority spokesperson told GreenPort that it aims to harmonise and improve efficiencies for all ports in NSW.

“We are focused on the future of port operations and as such we are implementing a state-of-the-art next generation port management system, called OnePort, now used by port users, vessel agents, towage and lines providers and Vessel Traffic Systems.”

The latest step on the journey is joining the Blue Visby consortium which includes advanced digital technology and a new algorithm to arrival times for groups of vessels travelling to the same port, thereby enabling vessels to reduce their speed and emissions while maintaining their scheduled arrival time.