Monitoring cruise ship emissions @ the Port of Eden, NSW

Guardians of Eden: Cutting-Edge Tech Tracks Cruise Ship Emissions

In 2023, Ports Victoria engaged GHD Pty Ltd (GHD) to undertake a 12-month air quality monitoring program at Station Pier, Melbourne’s main cruise ship terminal, with 100+ cruise ship visits each season.

GHD contracted Acoem Australasia to perform that monitoring, including maintenance, calibration, technical reporting and data analysis to assess seasonal weather variations, cruise ship emissions and their potential impact of the environment and local communities. Based on the positive outcome of that initial relationship, Acoem was selected to manage another cruise ship emissions monitoring program at the Port of Eden in NSW.

Located on NSW’s Sapphire Coast, Eden is a destination known for its national parks, whale watching and pristine environment. Since the first cruise ship arrived in 2005, more than 170 cruise ships have docked at Eden’s Wharf or anchored in Twofold Bay – so understanding the environmental effects of ship emissions is crucial.

Delivering real-time data points

Acoem commissioned its trailer-mounted air quality monitoring station at a site approximately 3 km from the port to coincide with the start of the 2024-25 cruise ship season. The rented station is fitted with wind speed and direction monitors, the Serinus® 40 Oxides of nitrogen (NOx) analyser – which uses gas-phase chemiluminescence detection to perform continuous analysis of nitric oxide (NO), total oxides of nitrogen (NOX) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) – and the Serinus® 50 Sulfur dioxide (SO2) analyser – which uses proven pulsed UV fluorescent radiation technology to measure SO2 in ambient air.

In addition, a BAM 1020 automatically measures and records airborne particulate concentrations of PM2.5 using the beta ray attenuation method. Working together as an integrated system, the Acoem monitoring equipment delivers a steady, remote access stream of precise and reliable real-time data to Acoem’s data reporting team, which analyses the data and communicates directly with the Port Authority of NSW – empowering the agency to manage its greenhouse footprint and comply with regulations.

Monitoring on the move

Each month, an Acoem field technician is on site to maintain the equipment, replace filters and tapes and perform general cleaning to remove any weather-related buildup that could affect monitoring performance. The station will complete its program in late May 2025 at the end of the cruise ship season (which will have seen more than 30 cruise ships visit Eden), with a final compliance report to be generated for government submission.

For more information about Acoem Fully Integrated Monitoring Systems, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us or visit www.acoem.com/australasia.

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