Noise Management
Port operations, both vessel and land based at White Bay and Glebe Island, are 24 hour. Most noise is generated from ships, cargo handling, trucks, and the use of terminal equipment (for example, cranes and forklifts). At times, some noise is generated by Port Authority’s own operations, including construction, port development activities and operation of our vessels and vehicles.
Although generally not directly responsible for the noise generated by ship and stevedore activities, Port Authority of New South Wales understands that operations at port may impact on the local community.
Port Authority will continue monitoring and identifying opportunities to reduce noise from vessels and landside activities at our ports. Key elements of this initiative are:
- A Noise Mitigation Strategy has been developed and is being implemented to manage noise from cruise ships at White Bay Cruise Terminal. The Strategy includes a suite of initiatives that aim to minimise the impact of cruise ships on the local community, including:
- a noise attenuation program providing mitigation treatments for residences in the vicinity of White Bay Cruise Terminal and White Bay berth 4;
- a policy for ships that cause excessive noise from vessel operations and non-safety related noise including on-deck music and public announcements, including a system of consequences for breaches of the policy; and
- continuous, real-time noise logging to monitor noise levels and guide ongoing noise management.
- Port Authority has developed a Port Noise Policy for Glebe Island and White Bay that aims to manage noise from commercial shipping in a way that addresses impacts on the local community, while recognising and optimising its ongoing, long-term status as a working port. The Policy is the first of its kind in Australia.
- Port Authority is a Board Member of Project Neptunes, a global port development and operations sustainability initiative that has developed and recently released a universal measurement protocol, guidelines for noise labelling of vessels, and a best practice guide for noise abatement measures in order to facilitate noise reductions from berthed ships.
- Port Authority has committed to installing and supplying Shore Power, sourced from certified renewable energy, to the Bays Port Precinct by 2024. The introduction of Shore Power could see a reduction in noise from cruise ships of up to 10dB.
Port Authority has a complaint procedure in place for White Bay Cruise Terminal and Glebe Island.
The Noise Management initiative supports the following sustainability opportunity areas and UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Supporting
- Operational pollution and emissions
Measure and reduce carbon emissions, waste, noise and electricity usage at Port Authority to reduce our impact on the environment and surrounding communities and realise associated economic benefits.
Supporting
- Policy, guidelines and pricing
Continue to build on existing policies and guidelines that create safe passage for vessels, that can influence sustainable outcomes and maintain a safe and healthy marine environment.
