Joint media release: Groundbreaking investment to start electrifying Australian ports

The Hon Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy

The Hon Catherine King, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government

The Albanese Government is helping decarbonise ports in South Australia by financing electrification measures through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC).

The $70 million CEFC investment in Flinders Port Holdings (FPH) is the first-ever green financing of container stevedoring operations in Australia and will reduce emissions and help cut costs.

The shipping industry is traditionally a hard to abate sector. In 2021–22, Australia’s domestic maritime sector emitted around 2 million tonnes of climate pollution.

The CEFC finance will support a range of initiatives at FPH ports in South Australia,  including installing solar systems and replacing internal combustion light vehicles with EVs. It will also investigate the use of an all-electric crane at the Flinders Adelaide Container Terminal at Port Adelaide – an Australian first.

The finance will also investigate how berthed ships at the port can be connected to the grid rather than relying on expensive diesel bunker fuel.

Australia recently partnered with Singapore on a $20 million project to reduce maritime emissions and signed a global pledge in 2022 to clean up the international shipping industry.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen:

“Shipping is the backbone of the global economy but a very hard to abate sector. Electrification is a pathway to lower emissions and reduced costs.

“This is a milestone project as we take early steps towards the electrification of Australian ports, beginning in South Australia.

“This innovative partnership will enhance these ports and help support local jobs and industries.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King:

“Our government is committed to ensuring that Australia has a productive, resilient and decarbonised supply chain.

“The importance of Australia’s ports cannot be understated with 99% of Australia’s international trade moving through our ports, supporting 700,000 jobs across the country.

“With emissions from the transport sector expected to grow in the coming years, it is vital that the government invests in decarbonising ports and the wider supply chain.”