Green Wave

Prince Rupert Green Wave Program Update

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In an effort to encourage shippers to invest in sustainable practices, the Prince Rupert Port Authority launched the Green Wave environmental incentive program for vessels.

Introduced in 2013, the program offers discounted harbour dues to commercial vessels that implement emission reduction measures or other environmental practices. Through Green Wave, PRPA is providing even greater opportunities for shipping companies to reap the benefits of their outstanding environmental performance. The program includes a variety of qualification standards for arriving commercial vessels consistent across the global shipping industry, allowing PRPA to help accelerate a worldwide movement toward greater efficiency and sustainability.

Green Wave incorporates a number of mechanisms for incentives, which include fuel sulphur content, Environmental Ship Index (ESI), Green Marine Program, RightShip GHG, Green Award, Clean Shipping Index, and Energy Efficiency Design Index. Using a three-tier criteria system, vessels are scored for their level of compliance with one or more of the recognized environmental programs, and awarded a discount on their harbour dues paid to PRPA.

As of June 1, 2015, there are were revisions to the Green Wave Program & the changes reflect the increasing regulatory standards of the Emissions Control Area and well as an increased recognition of top performing vessels.

Changes are summarised as below:

  • With the new North American ECA in place, which enforces 0.1% Sulphur fuel, the Green Marine focus will shift from SOx to GHG based measures.
  • RightShip ‘A’ rated vessels will now qualify for a Tier 3 (50%) discount, as they represent the most efficient vessels of their peers. Also, vessels with a ‘3’ or greater Environmental Rating will now have to meet a minimum ‘D’ GHG rating to qualify.
  • Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) has a new mechanism for vessels to qualify for a Tier 2 discount.
  • The Fuel Sulphur Content criterion has been removed due to further implementation of the North American Emission Control Area.

In 2014, the Port saw 140 different vessels qualify for discounts on harbour dues through Green Wave, for a total of nearly 200 vessel calls. These ships have implemented emission reduction measures and/or other environmental practices to improve their environmental performance, contributing to the sustainability of the Port, and marine shipping on a larger scale. Through this program, ships are rewarded for increasing their environmental performance and are provided incentives to call the Port of Prince Rupert. The impact of the program is a reduction of localized air pollutants and a larger global effort of ports, ship owners and other organizations working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Click here for Information about the Green Wave Program.

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