Construction begins on shore power at White Bay Cruise Terminal

Kobi Shetty MP  -  Media Release  -  26, August 2025

26th August 2025

In exciting news, construction of shore power facilities at White Bay Cruise Terminal is set to begin in September this year, with the project expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026.

This comes after more than a decade of strong community advocacy and sustained pressure from The Greens. 

This is a huge win, and it wouldn't have happened without the thousands of residents and community groups who kept this issue on the agenda and demanded action. Together, we've secured significant progress towards cleaner air for our community.  

What's happening now? 

The Port Authority of NSW has confirmed that construction of shore power infrastructure at White Bay will begin in September, with the project scheduled to be fully operational by the end of 2026. 

Construction hours will be from Monday to Friday 7am to 6pm, with Saturday work (if required) from 8am to 1pm. 

As this project progresses, there will be some localised noise impacts and changes to traffic conditions.

See image below from the NSW Port Authority for more information on the project timeline.

This is the first project of its kind in Australia, and once completed it will:

  • Prevent the release of approximately 4000 tonnes of carbon emissions every year
  • Improve local air quality and reduce harmful diesel pollution
  • Cut noise for nearby residents by allowing ships to power down their diesel engines while in port. 

What still needs to happen? 

While this is a significant win for our community, shore power is only effective if ships plug in. That's why I'm continuing to push for a legal requirement for all ships docking at White Bay to use the shore power infrastructure and switch off their diesel engines.

Older ships that cannot connect should not be permitted to dock at White Bay. This is an important step to ensure the delivery of shore power provides the promised benefits of cleaner air for our community. 

While there's still work to do, the commencement of construction is a milestone worth celebrating.

If you have any questions or concerns about the works being undertaken, don't hesitate to get in touch with my office. We're here to help. You can reach us via phone on (02) 9660 7586 or email [email protected]