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Cruise ships berthed at White Bay cruise terminal have caused great concern for local residents.Credit:Wolter Peeters

"Inner West Council is disappointed that the state government has moved to rule out the installation of shore-to-ship power at White Bay without any further consultation with council or the community,"a spokeswoman for the local government said.

The government's decision was based on the findings of a study into shore power led by the Port Authority of NSW.

The Port Authority's modelling showed that introducing shore power at White Bay would lead to a reduction in nitrogen oxides emissions by 64 per cent,and a reduction in volatile organic compounds by 62 per cent. Neither of these have been significantly reduced by the introduction of low sulphur fuel requirements for cruise ships entering Sydney Harbour.

But the authority's modelling also showed that the receptor near the White Bay cruise terminal at Balmain demonstrated relatively low levels of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds compared to other parts of Sydney,and particularly suburbs in Sydney's west.

The government has ruled out installing shore to ship power at White Bay,despite the concerns of residents.Credit:Wolter Peeters

The study showed that a number of major cities,particularly in North America,had started to use shore-to-ship power. Seattle,Vancouver,San Francisco,San Diego,Los Angeles,Long Beach,Halifax,Hamburg,Brooklyn,New York,have all installed shore-to-ship power for cruise ships in the past 12 years,and Shanghai,Montreal and Quebec have also said they would.

But the study also said it would cost $36 million to install shore-to-ship power at White Bay,and another $27 million to retrofit the fleet using White Bay. In the absence of a clean energy supply for shore-to-ship power,the study said,such a facility could generate a new increase in emissions.

"Shore power will not be installed at White Bay cruise terminal as it is not a cost effective means of mitigating air emissions from cruise ships,and any air emission benefits would be minimal,"Maritime Minister Melinda Pavey said.

The Greens'member for Balmain,Jamie Parker,argued against the decision,and said the Australian standards for diesel emissions were significantly below those recommended by the World Health Authority.

"It's unbelievable that ships are still allowed to burn fuel in Sydney Harbour which has up to 35 times higher levels of sulphur than the fuel they are required to use in Europe and 3500 times the level required by Australian diesel cars,"Mr Parker said.

Kate Horrobin,a local and member of the Stop Cruise Ship Pollution Campaign,said the government had placed the interests of the cruise industry over people's health.

"This is not a cruise terminal in the middle of an industrial port,"Ms Horrobin said."The unique location of the White Bay terminal,the position of the smoke stacks at the same height as the homes which surround it and the close proximity to schools,day-care centres,children's playgrounds and a hospital demand that special consideration be given."

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