What About shore power?

Does Ogden Point have shore power?

No. The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) has talked about shore power for many years, but there is currently no shore power at Ogden Point.

In April 2023, the Province of British Columbia announced a $9 million contribution towards detailed engineering designs for shore power at Ogden Point.

In 2024, the GVHA reported that a business case was presented to the Board in June 2024. Cost and complexities were identified as key challenges. They are exploring the potential of emerging technologies.That could include barges carrying large batteries that could be recharged electrically or use of a lower carbon fuel to recharge them. A Hydro interconnectivity study was expected to be presented to their Board in June 2025.

In February 2025, the federal government announced that it is providing $22.5 million for shore power at Ogden Point. A February 11, 2025 Times Colonist stated that “It won’t happen immediately. The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority is carrying out a business planning process for the project that includes speaking to B.C. Hydro and cruise lines about their power needs… It is too soon to set a target date for shore power or to announce the project’s total cost…”  Ogden Point to get $22.5 million for shore power - Victoria Times Colonist

In 2019, installing shore power at Ogden Point was estimated to cost about $24.8 million.  So far, the provincial and federal governments have contributed $31.5 million towards shore power, with no target date in sight. It is unknown how much the City of Victoria would have to contribute to infrastructure costs to bring shore power to Ogden Point. It is also unknown how much the cruise lines would contribute.

Is shore power the solution for all negative cruise impacts?

Shore power is a ships-at-berth solution only. It reduces harmful air emissions and GHGs while cruise ships are docked which is of benefit to our health and environment. However, shore power does not address air and ocean pollution while ships are transiting and maneuvering in our harbour (and beyond). It does not address other negative impacts of cruise tourism on James Bay, which include overcrowding, traffic surges, noise, and the import of foreign solid and liquid wastes.

Will all ships at Ogden Point be able to use shore power?

It appears not. The proposed project envisions equipping two of the four berths at Ogden Point with shore power. There are many days when there are three or four ships in town. Rescheduling and limiting the number of ships could mitigate the problem.

Are all cruise ships capable of connecting to shore power?

In 2019, only half of the cruise ships docked in Vancouver were equipped to use shore power. The GVHA expects that 85% of cruise ships will be shore power capable by 2030. What about ships that cannot connect? 

Do cruise ships connect to shore power in other ports?

Even if cruise ships are shore power capable, many choose not to connect as shown in Vancouver and Seattle (cruise ships plugged in at Seattle piers only about one-third of the time in 2023.) If capable, ships should be mandated to hook up to electricity. If not, they should be required to pay for the infrastructure and required to use low sulfur marine gas oil fuels.

Unfortunately, most ships use dirty diesel oil which tends to be cheaper and have installed scrubbers that ‘clean’ air emissions but release contaminants into the marine environment as scrubber wash. 

Who should pay for shore power?

Fair Sailing believes that the cruise lines should pay for shore power. Why should our tax payer money be used to pay for tourist recreation which primarily profits foreign corporations? A study released in 2022 found that cruise tourists account for less than 2% of tourist spending in our region. 

Most ports that have received provincial and federal shore power funding provide essential trade and cargo services. Ogden Point does not. How about raising the current cruise sustainability fee? An extra $10 for a million passengers a year could raise $30 million in 3 years to pay for shore power installation.

Will the cruise ships have enough time to connect to shore power in Victoria?

The majority of cruise ships arrive after 7 pm and leave at midnight. It is unknown if there will be enough time for the ships to connect/disconnect and allow for a brief passenger visit. It could take a minimum of an hour for ships to connect and at least another hour to disconnect, and more time for passengers to disembark and return to ship. 

What will be the impact of construction on the James Bay neighbourhood?

The impacts and length of construction and installation of shore power on James Bay are unknown. The cruise industry in Victoria already generates traffic, noise, air pollution and GHG emissions far beyond Ogden Point with trucks, buses, and garbage disposed of in the Hartland landfill, and an undisclosed amount of cruise ship solid and liquid waste transported off the Island. 

Will there be enough electricity?

Shore power is a major electrical load. Our electric power supply is limited. Should it be used to provide electricity to cruise ships or should priority be given to local demands? Are there financial risks if the ships do not arrive (as happened during Covid) or switch to a different port-of-call?

A Maritime Impact report quoted in Capital Daily shows traditional cruise ships require 10-100 megawatts of power for propulsion, lighting, air conditioning and on-board amenities.  To put that in perspective, a single megawatt can power between 400 and 900 homes.  The power used by the hotel facilities on cruise ships represents 47% of their electricity requirements.  Victoria's cruise port aims for shore power integration amid fiscal uncertainty - Capital Daily  It is unclear if the current supply grid would be large enough to handle shore power at Ogden Point.

What about now – while we continue to wait for shore power?

Our health and the environment cannot wait. Cruise ships should be required to use lowest sulfur fuels while transiting, maneuvering and berthing in Victoria Harbour. A presentation by Stand.Earth to Victoria Council on June 10, 2021, estimated that over 160,000 tonnes of scrubber wash water discharges are released in Victoria Harbour annually, based on modelled calculations by the International Council on Clean Transportation. Scrubber wash water discharges should be banned, as they are in many ports and countries around the world.