Come late 2026, it will boast Australia\u2019s first shore power infrastructure at Sydney\u2019s White Bay Cruise Terminal with all electricity sourced from certified renewable energy.<\/p>\n
It has also been working hard to benchmark performance metrics including air emissions, water quality, community relations, noise and waste management<\/a> at all of its six major port locations.<\/p>\n Understandably then, \u202fit has become the first Australian port authority to receive the globally recognised Green Marine accreditation for its sustainability endeavours.<\/p>\n Strategic role<\/strong><\/p>\n The Port Authority of New South Wales manages the navigation, security and operational safety needs of commercial shipping of the Australian state of New South Wales, overseeing activities in the busy ports of Sydney and Port Botany, as well as in Newcastle, Australia\u2019s second-oldest city and home to a major industrial port.\u202f <\/p>\n The cruise industry contributes significantly to the economy in the region. A quick look at the numbers reveals that cruise travel is booming in the region, with a total of 1.2 million passengers and crew visiting NSW ports annually across 366 cruise ship visits (23 of them maiden arrivals). Regional ports, meanwhile, welcome 59 cruise ship visits per year. <\/p>\n The\u202fState\u2019s original international cruise terminal, the Overseas Passenger Terminal, occupies a prime location in Sydney harbour, directly across from the Opera House and beside the Sydney Harbour Bridge. This terminal continues to serve the growing number of large cruise ships visiting the city.\u202f <\/p>\n Smaller ships that can fit under the bridge are welcomed at the nearby\u202fWhite Bay Cruise Terminal. <\/p>\n The authority also manages the picturesque Eden Cruise Wharf, which is located on the Sapphire Coast about 480km south of Sydney. As the southernmost deep-water harbour in NSW, Eden acts as a gateway for tourism along the southern NSW coast. <\/p>\n In November 2025, Eden marked 20 years\u202fsince its first cruise ship arrival, having since welcomed 200 ships (the 200th, Celebrity Edge, arrived on 14 November 2025) and over 400,000 visitors and crew. The terminal can now accommodate larger modern ships as well as smaller vessels.\u202f <\/p>\n John McKenna, who previously held the role of chief customer and commercial officer, was appointed chief executive of the Port Authority of New South Wales (NSW) in October 2025, with a particular focus on managing the growing maritime trade in the authority\u2019s harbours and terminals. <\/p>\n \u201cSydney Harbour has a strong maritime heritage and, as a working port, has vital ongoing port and working harbour functions,\u201d says Mr McKenna. \u201cMajor operations, such as our two international cruise terminals, are integrated with dynamic residential, commercial and recreational precincts.\u201d <\/p>\n This creates a unique and challenging operating environment, says Mr McKenna. \u201cWe have to balance cruise operations and safely and efficiently moving ships through the harbour, with understanding, managing and reducing impacts on our surroundings.\u201d <\/p>\n Green electricity<\/strong><\/p>\n The Port Authority of NSW is addressing a range of sustainability objectives. <\/p>\n \u201cThe work we\u2019re doing to support a sustainable cruise and maritime industry and protect the environment in which we operate is reflected in the recognition we\u2019ve received, as the first Australian port to receive the globally recognised Green Marine accreditation and achieving Silver Partner status in the NSW Government\u2019s Sustainability Advantage program,\u201d explains Mr McKenna. <\/p>\n \u201cThis recognition reflects the work we\u2019ve done to embed sustainable practices across our operations, including matching electricity use from across our port locations with purchased renewable electricity generation.\u202f <\/p>\n \u201cThe Port Authority is incredibly proud to have achieved certification from Green Marine, which follows a rigorous assessment of our environmental and sustainability practices.\u202fThis has included benchmarking performance metrics including air emissions, water quality, community relations, noise and waste management at all our six major port locations.\u201d\u202f <\/p>\n Another way in which the Port Authority of NSW is pursuing cleaner cruising is through the implementation of shore power facilities for visiting cruise ships. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m proud to say that Australia\u2019s first shore power infrastructure at Sydney\u2019s White Bay Cruise Terminal will reduce the Port Authority\u2019s scope three greenhouse gas emissions and the cruise operators\u2019 scope one emissions by connecting ships to electricity through a landside power supply,\u201d says Mr McKenna.\u202f<\/p>\n \u201cThe installation will feature wharf-side infrastructure to connect ships to electricity via a landside power supply matched by purchased renewable electricity generation.\u201d\u202f<\/p>\n The project is being undertaken by PowerCon and construction is scheduled for completion by late 2026.\u202f <\/p>\n Environmental protection<\/strong><\/p>\n The sustainability team is also working on initiatives that help reduce the industry\u2019s\u202fenvironmental footprint, such as the \u2019Maritime Recycling Risk Assessment Trial\u2019, which roadmaps procedures to recycle low-risk biosecurity materials from visiting international cruise ships at the Sydney terminals.\u202f <\/p>\n Noise generated by cruise vessels is a growing problem in ports around the world and Port Authority of NSW is taking targeted actions to address it.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have made significant investments to minimise noise from vessels and landside operations, including real-time, continuous noise logging, a port noise policy that includes noise limitsfor ships and a noise attenuation programme,\u201d says Mr KcKenna. \u201cThis is backed by a 24\/7 enquiries line so the community can reach us anytime.\u201d\u202f<\/p>\n Port Authority of NSW has also contributed to a universal ship noise measurement protocol as part of Project NEPTUNES. <\/p>\n The port authority is also engaged in projects to restore the health of marine ecosystems in its port areas. In October 2025, the authority marked a successful first health check on a population of endangered seagrass in port authority<\/a> waters at Penryhn Estuary in Sydney\u2019s Gamay Botany Bay, planted from shoots collected from nearby beaches.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a project which is ongoing under the auspices of scientists from the University of New South Wales.\u202fIn addition, the university team is working to develop a genomic toolbox to optimise and future-proof seagrass restoration in the face of climate change. <\/p>\n