Port of Halifax to provide cruise ships with chance to plug in, power up

Cruise ships visiting Halifax next season will have the ability to 'plug in.' Ships will be provided with a new power supply that can be used while docked in the city.

"Vancouver is the first port in Canada to be online with clean air, but we're the first port on the East Coast to do this,” says Halifax Port Authority spokesman George Malec.

The shore power system will reduce marine diesel air emissions by letting ships shut down their auxiliary engines and connect to an electrical grid.

"This is another significant part of the infrastructure that the port of Halifax and its partners provide to make the cruise industry attractive, viable and competitive in Atlantic Canada,” says Malec.

Cruise ships will pay Nova Scotia Power for the power supply.

A vessel that is plugged into shore power for just an hour is equal to the amount of power a home would go through in a year.

The project is part of a $10M initiative between the federal government, the province of Nova Scotia and the Halifax Port Authority.

More ships mean more passengers, leading to a boost in tourism.

The port says it expects more than 25 ships will connect to shore power next cruise season.

"To see Halifax buzz with people at 10 a.m. is good for the economy. This will help and I think it’s an exciting thing to have,” says Halifax Mayor Mike Savage.

The port has been testing the system since September.

The port authority says cruise ships contribute to about eight per cent of the province's tourism traffic.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Suzette Belliveau