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Port authority announces winners of Blue Circle Awards for environmental stewardship

Seven cruise lines recognized, alongside 11 shipping lines and four coastal marine operators, for outstanding efforts to reduce emissions and underwater noise following last year’s successful return of cruise to the Port of Vancouver

Vancouver, B.C.: The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is pleased to announce the winners of the annual Blue Circle Awards, which celebrate environmental leadership by tenants and customers at Port of Vancouver.

“It is an honour to acknowledge the efforts of so many industry partners for making important and tangible progress towards reducing the environmental impacts, emissions and energy use associated with Canadian trade,” said Duncan Wilson, vice president of environment and external affairs at the port authority. “Congratulations to all our Blue Circle Award recipients for their ongoing efforts to build sustainability into their operations. This year, alongside 11 shipping lines and four coastal marine operators, we are thrilled to recognize seven cruise lines for their continued focus on reducing their environmental footprint during the return of cruise to the Port of Vancouver in 2022.” The port authority’s Blue Circle Awards recognize shipping companies and terminal operators that go above and beyond to reduce underwater noise and emissions, and to conserve energy through the port authority’s EcoAction and Energy Action programs.

Launched in 2007, the EcoAction Program supports the port authority’s mandate to enable Canada’s trade while protecting the environment and considering local communities by rewarding shipping lines for taking measures to reduce their environmental footprint. Almost one-third of eligible calls to the Port of Vancouver qualify for EcoAction incentives each year, receiving discounts off harbour dues for measures that reduce greenhouse gas and air contaminant emissions, as well as underwater noise. The port authority expanded the program in 2023 to include a new platinum level discount of up to 75%.

Through the Energy Action Initiative, launched in 2013 in partnership with BC Hydro, the port authority supports terminal operators and port tenants to learn effective ways to conserve energy. The initiative has helped implement more than 40 energy conservation projects across port lands to date—helping save more than 11,500 megawatt hours of energy (enough to annually power 1,200 houses).

The port authority is re-launching the on-site Energy Management Assessment workshops this year after they were paused during the pandemic, with the Terminal Operator category set to return next year.

“Our teams are excited to start reconnecting with tenants and terminal operators at the Port of Vancouver to schedule Energy Action consultations to discuss ways to reduce energy consumption, and switch from diesel and gasoline to lower emissions fuels and electric power,” said Wilson.

Blue Circle Award recipients in the EcoAction Program category

Cruise Lines

Shipping Lines

Coastal Marine Operators

 Award highlights

• Westwood Shipping Lines have been awarded every year since the inaugural awards in 2009
• Hapag-Lloyd has been recognized 13 times
• Princess Cruises has been awarded a total of 12 times
• HMM has won this award for 10 consecutive years since 2013
• Evergreen Line has won this award for eight consecutive years since 2015
• Disney Cruise Line received a Blue Circle Award every year it has homeported in Vancouver

About the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and the Port of Vancouver

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is the federal agency responsible for the shared stewardship of the lands and waters that make up the Port of Vancouver. Like all Canada Port Authorities, we are accountable to the federal minister of transport, and operate pursuant to the Canada Marine Act with a mandate to enable Canada’s trade through the Port of Vancouver, while protecting the environment and considering local communities. The port authority is structured as a non-share corporation, is financially self-sufficient and does not rely on tax dollars for operations. Our revenues come from port terminals and tenants who lease port lands, and from port users who pay various fees such as harbour dues. Profits are reinvested in port infrastructure. The port authority oversees the use of port land and water, which includes more than 16,000 hectares of water, over 1,500 hectares of land, and approximately 350 kilometres of shoreline. Located on the southwest coast of British Columbia in Canada, the Port of Vancouver extends from Roberts Bank and the Fraser River up to and including Burrard Inlet, bordering 16 municipalities and intersecting the traditional territories and treaty lands of more than 35 Coast Salish Indigenous groups. The Port of Vancouver is Canada’s largest port, and the third largest in North America by tonnes of cargo. Enabling the trade of approximately $305 billion in goods with more than 170 world economies, port activities sustain 115,300 jobs, $7 billion in wages, and $11.9 billion in GDP across Canada.

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