Several of the cruise ships scheduled to call at Montreal this season are equipped to use shore power supply facilities.
They have been available at the Port of Montreal’s Grand Quay since 2017.
This will result in an average reduction of five tonnes of GHG emissions with each connection, due to the ships turning off their engines while in port, the port authority said.
Eight different ships, from the Holland-America, Regent Seven Seas, Hapag-Lloyd and Viking cruise lines, making 19 visits this season, will be able to plug in and power up using this system.
“The cruise sector is proving its attractiveness and dynamism in Montreal. Not only is the number of passengers up from last year, gradually returning to a level of traffic comparable to our pre-pandemic levels, but more and more of the cruise ships that stop at the port are using our shore power supply system.
“The Port of Montreal is one of only 25 in the world to provide this service to cruise ships. As well as generating major economic benefits for the city, the cruise industry is a tourism sector that is transitioning to more energy-efficient and sustainable practices,” said Martin Imbleau, Montreal Port Authority President and CEO.
“Every year, the docking of the first cruise ship kicks off the long-awaited summer tourist season. Montréal is delighted to see the arrival of thousands of cruise passengers, who will add to the lively atmosphere of the Old Port as they enjoy its many cultural activities.
“We are particularly excited about the on-dock shore power at our cruise terminal, which aligns perfectly with the values of the sustainable destination that we are,” added Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal
With 51 cruise ship visits (five more than last year), featuring 38 embarking and disembarking operations and 13 stopovers, this season will generate $25 mill in economic impact, the port added.
