Port Authority recognises that air emissions from ships berthed at Glebe Island and White Bay can be a concern for local residents living near the working port. As part of Port Authority’s air quality monitoring program, monitoring is conducted on a voluntary basis at two locations:
- On the corner of Grafton Street and Adolphus Streets, Balmain, above the WBCT (currently awaiting commissioning following an upgrade of the equipment).
- Glebe Island - a new monitoring station (commenced monitoring in January 2025).
The stations record both air quality and weather data, providing a clear and accurate picture of local air conditions. The data is analysed quarterly, and an interpretive report is prepared, offering valuable insights not only for Port Authority but also for anyone interested in White Bay and Glebe Island’s ambient air quality.
The stations monitor sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter less than 2.5 microns diameter (PM2.5) and meteorological parameters including wind speed and direction. The monitoring is undertaken by Acoem Australasia in partnership with GHD.
Key findings from air quality monitoring
- Air quality parameters consistently remain below the air quality goals as listed in the table below:
- PM2.5: National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure (AAQ NEPM) standard.
- SO2 and NO2: Australian National Environmental Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Council (NEPC) standards.
Table 1 Standards for pollutants
*Maximum standard concentration
| Pollutant | Averaging period | ppm * | µg/m³ * |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) | 1 hour | 0.08 | 164 |
| 1 year | 0.015 | 31 | |
| Sulphur dioxide (SO2 ) | 1 hour | 0.10 (0.075 from 2025) | 286 (214 from 2025) |
| 1 day | 0.02 | 57 | |
| Particles as PM2.5 | 1 day | 25 (20 from 2025) | |
| 1 year | 8 (7 from 2025) |
- Generally, historically measured PM2.5 levels fluctuate similar to levels measured at NSW government reference sites.
- Historical data indicates that since the commencement of cruise operations at White Bay Cruise Terminal in 2013, there have been no recorded exceedances of the air quality criteria attributable to cruise ship activities.
Air quality reports
The near-real-time air quality monitoring data is available on the air quality portal.
The portal includes real time data from the monitoring system, other nearby NSW Government monitoring sites, charts of historical data against criteria and also the presence of ships at berth.
Disclaimer: The data used in the compilation of this page has undergone only preliminary quality assurance checks by ACOEM. The data may require modification during final stages of validation as a result of calibration changes, power failures, instrument failures etc.
Quarterly reports
Quarterly monitoring analysis reports (NATA accredited) are available here: