White Bay shore power project reaches key engineering milestone

AUSTRALIA’S first shore-powered cruise terminal is a step closer to operation, with the installation of the project's crucial onshore power supply (OPS) system marking one of the most complex engineering milestones completed to date.

The two-storey OPS structure is the electrical heart of the shore power system, converting 33,000 volts of electricity from the local power grid to a compatible voltage and frequency for cruise ships visiting White Bay Cruise Terminal.

Providing a shore power connection enables cruise vessels to turn off their onboard diesel engines while at port, reducing carbon emissions by more than 4,000 tonnes each year, equivalent to removing around 1,100 vehicles from NSW roads annually.

Port Authority of NSW chief executive John McKenna said the OPS installation milestone highlighted the scale and complexity of the Australian-first project.

“The OPS is the powerhouse of the entire shore power system at White Bay, with the 10 shipping containers housing an intricate network of transformers, converters and switchgear to provide the electricity needed for visiting cruise ships,” he said.

“With that now installed, our teams are focused on securing power to the site from Rozelle and completing the complex underground electrical cabling, seawater cooling system and the wharf-side Cable Management System (CMS), which is necessary to bring shore power direct to the cruise ship.

“This project represents a significant step forward in reducing emissions from the cruise sector and demonstrates how investment in innovative, sustainable port infrastructure can deliver long-term environmental benefits.”

Port Authority of NSW project director Fauzan Zulkhepli said the project was breaking new ground in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere.

“This project has required significant engineering coordination, making it one of the most technically complex harbour-side infrastructure projects currently being built in NSW,” Mr Zulkhepli said.

“It combines high-voltage electrical infrastructure, underground cabling and piping, purpose-built wharf equipment, and an innovative seawater cooling system designed to cool the powerful, electrical OPS system.

“The unique cooling system draws water from Sydney Harbour and circulates it through heat exchangers to regulate temperatures within the OPS, removing the need for traditional large-scale mechanical cooling systems to help reduce energy consumption and noise.

“It’s the first time a seawater cooling system has been installed into an operational port in Sydney, inspired by the Sydney Opera House’s seawater cooling system installed during the building’s construction.”

Project construction on site is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, with cruise ships set to begin testing and connecting to shore power during the 2026-27 summer cruise season.

Installation of onshore power supply equipment at White Bay. Video courtesy of Port Authority of NSW