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GLEBE ISLAND & WHITE BAY

PORT NOISE POLICY

December 2020

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Contents

1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1

1.1 Why this policy is needed .............................................................................................................. 1

1.2 Benefits ......................................................................................................................................... 1

1.3 Policy objectives ............................................................................................................................ 2

1.4 Key policy commitments ............................................................................................................... 2

1.5 Policy statement ............................................................................................................................ 3

2 Policy scope ................................................................................................................ 4

3 Legislative context ....................................................................................................... 6

3.1 Overview ....................................................................................................................................... 6

3.2 NSW planning controls .................................................................................................................. 6

3.3 NSW environmental legislation for noise emission ....................................................................... 7

3.4 Port Noise Policy ........................................................................................................................... 8

4 Policy overview ............................................................................................................ 9

4.1 Policy development ....................................................................................................................... 9

4.2 Policy commencement and review ............................................................................................. 10

5 Policy application ....................................................................................................... 11

6 Noise guidelines ........................................................................................................ 13

6.1 Vessel Noise Guideline ............................................................................................................... 13

6.2 Landside Precinct Noise Guideline ............................................................................................. 14

6.3 Planning controls ......................................................................................................................... 15

7 Noise trigger levels and criteria ................................................................................. 16

8 Management and mitigation of port noise.................................................................. 18

8.1 Noise monitoring ......................................................................................................................... 18

8.2 Vessel noise reduction ................................................................................................................ 19

8.3 Landside noise mitigation ............................................................................................................ 19

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8.4 Whole of port noise mitigation ..................................................................................................... 19

Appendix A ........................................................................................................................ 24

History of Glebe Island and White Bay .............................................................................. 24

A.1. History of Glebe Island and White Bay ...................................................................... 25

Appendix B ........................................................................................................................ 30

Australian and international port noise criteria ................................................................... 30

B.1. Overview of other Australian and international port noise criteria .............................. 31

Appendix C ........................................................................................................................ 35

Changes in noise levels at Glebe Island and White Bay .................................................... 35

C.1. Changes in port noise ............................................................................................... 36

C.2. Background noise levels............................................................................................ 37

Influence of the port and wind on background noise levels .................................................................. 38

Appendix D ........................................................................................................................ 39

Comparison with criteria for other vehicles ........................................................................ 39

D.1. Overview ................................................................................................................... 40

D.2. Aircraft ....................................................................................................................... 41

Individual aircraft ................................................................................................................................... 41

Airport infrastructure and surrounding development ............................................................................. 41

D.3. Road .......................................................................................................................... 43

Individual vehicles ................................................................................................................................. 43

Road infrastructure ................................................................................................................................ 43

Noise Abatement Program .................................................................................................................... 45

Encroaching development ..................................................................................................................... 45

D.4. Rail noise ................................................................................................................... 46

Individual locomotives and wagons ....................................................................................................... 46

Freight Noise Attenuation Program ....................................................................................................... 46

Rail infrastructure .................................................................................................................................. 47

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D.5. Vehicles operating within an industrial premise ......................................................... 48

D.6. Encroaching development ......................................................................................... 49

Appendix E ........................................................................................................................ 50

Factors influencing vessel noise ........................................................................................ 50

E1. Sources of air-borne noise ........................................................................................ 51

E2. Measurement ............................................................................................................ 51

Descriptors ............................................................................................................................................ 51

Directivity ............................................................................................................................................... 52

Frequency content ................................................................................................................................. 52

Modulation ............................................................................................................................................. 53

Factors that may influence measurements ........................................................................................... 53

Glossary ................................................................................................................................ i

See separate documents available on website for:

Appendix F - Vessel Noise Guideline

Appendix G - Landside Noise Guideline

Appendix H - Noise Standard

Appendix I - Noise Maps

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1 Introduction

1.1 Why this policy is needed

The ports in New South Wales (NSW) are critical pieces of infrastructure essential for the transportation of

goods and passengers. The port of Glebe Island and White Bay is a transportation hub that:

• enables efficient delivery of bulk construction materials

• accommodates the second cruise terminal in Sydney Harbour

To meet expected future demand for bulk construction materials in NSW, there is a need for new port

developments and an increase in shipping numbers at Glebe Island and White Bay. Unless properly

managed, this has the potential to increase noise levels and community exposure to noise over time. To

improve noise management there is a need to transition noise management to a consistent approach that is

simpler and fairer.

Individual port users currently monitor and evaluate noise under different environmental requirements and

planning approvals. This leads to inconsistent reporting, noise limits and regulation between operators,

inconsistency and uncertainty in the planning approval process for new port infrastructure, and a lack of

clarity for local residents and the community.

Port Authority of New South Wales (Port Authority) has considered previous community feedback about port

noise and has consulted with the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to develop this new Port Noise

Policy. Given the location of the port to surrounding residential development some impacts will be inevitable.

The purpose of this policy is to reduce impacts to the greatest extent practicable whilst allowing the ongoing

operation of the port facility. The intention of the policy is to provide a process for proactive management of

port-related noise by Port Authority using contractual means, together with guidelines for consistent

assessment and management, which may be used to inform planning and approvals for port activities.

Port Authority is committed to proactively managing port noise in a way that is acceptable to residents and

the local community while recognising Glebe Island and White Bay’s ongoing, long-term status as a working

port.

1.2 Benefits

By implementing this policy, Port Authority aims to achieve the following benefits for residents and

stakeholders:

• improved and consistent management of noise from the port

• certainty for residents, industry, regulators and approval authorities about anticipated and acceptable

levels of noise collectively from vessel and landside port activities

• establishment of a long term commitment to reduce vessel noise and community exposure

• enhanced communication about typical port noise emissions to the community and stakeholder through

the production of noise maps.

This policy is the first of its kind in Australia. It sets noise triggers for an individual vessel in the context of

overall community exposure to noise from Glebe Island and White Bay. There are currently no international

or national design criteria that control noise emissions from a vessel to limit impacts on the community.

Before this policy, the only noise criteria specific to vessels have been international requirements for on-

board safety and crew comfort.

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1.3 Policy objectives

Through changing context and interpretation, port noise management and requirements have become

inconsistent for both landside activities and vessels, with different operators within the port being required to

meet different goals. Activities and noise at the port has also changed over time.

Since the existing industrial noise guidelines were introduced, noise assessments were carried out on an

individual development basis for each port activity without considering the port’s overall noise emissions.

While the guidelines did have a cumulative assessment approach, it was not well suited to an active and

dynamic port environment where vessel berthing activities resulted in transient background noise levels and

impacts. Noise assessments have also contained inconsistencies as to whether vessel noise has been

included or excluded as a source of industrial noise.

Compliance with noise limits set under the existing guidelines has generally been problematic given they use

industrial noise criteria that were not specifically based on vessel noise, and that the original planning and

construction of White Bay and Glebe Island port area predates the guidelines.

In light of the above, the Port Noise Policy aims for a best practice approach to port noise management. The

policy’s objectives are to:

• manage port noise as a whole precinct rather than as individual operators

• define and clarify a consistent approach to port noise management that has appropriate mechanisms to

facilitate long term noise reduction of vessels

• improve and simplify management of landside port noise

• concisely communicate overall port noise managed under this policy through the use of noise mapping.

1.4 Key policy commitments

The Port Noise Policy, along with its guidelines, procedures and operating protocols, aims to achieve the

above objectives through the following overarching commitments:

• proactive management of noise emissions from the port, by Port Authority and its tenants

• requirements for each individual ship visiting the berths of Glebe Island and White Bay to meet noise

limits, and agreed consequences if these limits are exceeded

• fair and reasonable allocation of industrial noise criteria for landside activities, with consequences if the

precinct criteria are exceeded

• certainty for the community, industry, regulators and approval authorities about the level of noise from

collective port activities

• noise mapping of port activities to guide future noise assessments and planning controls for proposed

new developments encroaching on the port in the areas surrounding Glebe Island and White Bay

• goals for long term noise reduction of vessel noise while recognising the continued long-term role of

Glebe Island and White Bay as a transportation hub.

The Port Noise Policy’s operating protocols, guidelines and procedures will be implemented to assist Port

Authority in meeting these commitments. If their application may lead to an outcome in specific situations

where commitments may not be achieved, Port Authority commits to always striving to achieve the policy

objectives. This includes the use of other options to meet these overarching commitments, such as

proposing amendments to operating protocols and the policy’s guidelines and procedures.

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1.5 Policy statement

Port Authority is committed to managing impacts from the port effectively and sustainably. To achieve this

commitment, Port Authority has developed this port specific noise policy which collectively assesses and

manages noise from:

• landside activities as a whole across the port on a precinct basis

• vessels on an individual and per berth basis.

By developing this Port Noise Policy, Port Authority intends to better manage noise emissions in a strategic

way that provides more certainty to residents and the broader local community while also maximising the

utilisation of the port within these noise limits. Ongoing utilisation is supported by Sydney Regional

Environmental Plan (SREP) No 26 – City West which recognises the need for ongoing 24-hour port

operations and that these operations may generate noise and traffic movement.

Port Authority’s corporate commitments and principles for managing noise from the activities at Glebe Island

and White Bay are outlined in our operating protocols, developed under our guidelines and procedures (see

Table 1 in Section 4 of this policy for further detail).

These documents ensure that these port activities meet the requirements of the Protection of the

Environment Operations (POEO) Act 1997 and the Environmental Planning and Assessment (EP&A) Act

1979, both aimed at protecting community amenity while allowing for critical port development.

There are three ways in which Port Authority influences port noise:

• development and operation of Port Authority’s landside port infrastructure

• monitoring of its tenants’ development and operation of port infrastructure

• management of noise from vessels berthed at Glebe Island or White Bay.

Effective management of port noise requires the combined effort of Port Authority, its tenants, regulatory and

planning authorities and the vessel operators.

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2 Policy scope

This Port Noise Policy aims to address port noise originating from port activities at Glebe Island and White

Bay.

Figure 1: Spatial boundary of Glebe Island and White Bay, showing berth locations and key port uses

Source: Nearmap (October 2019)

Noise from port activities can fall within two broad categories:

• landside activities, typically including noise from the processing of cargo and warehousing operations

• vessels at berth, typically including noise from on-board generators, fans and cargo unloading systems

(self-extraction using on-board equipment).

Environmental criteria for noise are generally applied to developments on port land through planning and

environmental approvals. Any noise mitigation that is required is generally applied to noise at its origin and

generally relates to achieving external noise levels.

This Port Noise Policy aims to set the environmental criteria for:

• existing tenants’ future activities

• new port developments and operations

• vessels utilising the existing berths (existing tenants’ operations) at Glebe Island and White Bay.

The environmental criteria specified in this policy are recommended by Port Authority to be incorporated by

approval authorities in planning approvals and environmental protection licences.

In addition, this policy identifies port noise levels and criteria which may be used as guidance in setting

planning controls for new encroaching developments (commercial and residential) being constructed in

areas near to the port. These planning controls could take effect if included in a statutory planning policy or

requirements such as a State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) or development consent. These

controls will not include mitigation of noise at its origin as this is already being applied through this Port Noise

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Policy and other mechanisms. These planning controls may introduce criteria related to internal noise levels

for these developments and focus on building design to reduce noise intrusion and land use conflicts. If

adopted, this approach would be consistent with existing provisions in the State Environmental Planning

Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 (ISEPP) for developments proposed near busy roads and rail lines.

The Port Noise Policy is most relevant to the following stakeholders:

• Port Authority

• community

• port users (tenants and vessel operators)

• developers of commercial and residential land surrounding the port

• acoustical consultants

• regulators and approval authorities.

The associated guidelines, procedures and operating protocols are targeted to be used by Port Authority,

port users and developers.

This Port Noise Policy seeks to manage the noise from port operations. Construction activities carried out at

Glebe Island and White Bay, including the noise associated with the use of barges, are not subject to this

policy where they are governed by an existing and comprehensive construction noise assessment and

approval framework. This is to avoid duplication and the creation of inconsistency in noise management of

construction activities in the port.

The management of noise from cruise ships and the passenger activities at the White Bay Cruise Terminal

and White Bay berth 4 is governed by the Port Authority’s Noise Mitigation Strategy which predates this

policy. While the White Bay Cruise Terminal Noise Mitigation Strategy was implemented before the

development of this policy, it is generally consistent with the commitments in this policy.

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3 Legislative context

3.1 Overview

The port of Glebe Island and White Bay is established long term infrastructure. Any environmental noise,

even from long established infrastructure, has the potential to cause annoyance and health impacts.

Where existing and planned noise levels from infrastructure is high, and greater residential amenity is

required at existing and new residences, planning controls have been developed to address potential for

impacts. These planning controls are developed and define acceptable noise levels within modified existing

dwellings and new dwellings.

Further, all changes to port activity must manage noise impacts having regard to the residences adjacent to

the port.

3.2 NSW planning controls

The EP&A Act sets out the laws under which planning in NSW takes place. Under Part 3 of the EP&A Act,

environmental planning instruments are made to guide and control development and land use.

Environmental planning instruments, which include SEPPs and Local Environmental Plans (LEPs), can

specify planning controls for certain areas and/or types of development. Development Control Plans (DCPs)

provide detailed planning and design guidelines to support the planning controls in the LEPs developed by

councils.

The requirement for residences to be designed to meet internal noise goals is common under these various

planning controls. It is particularly common for higher density dwellings, such as multi-storey buildings, which

are frequently constructed near industry, busy roads and railway and mass transit lines.

3.2.1 Planning controls for Bays West

Of direct relevance to this policy is SREP-26, which is the relevant environmental planning instrument for the

land identified as ‘City West’, including the Bays Precinct. The current version, dated February 2020 was

originally gazetted in 1992 and deemed as a SEPP from July 2009.

The aims of SREP-26 are to:

• establish planning principles of regional significance for City West, as a whole, with which development

in City West should be consistent;

• establish planning principles and development controls of regional significance for development in each

Precinct created within City West by this plan and by subsequent amendment of this plan, and

• promote the orderly and economic use and development of land within City West.

This environmental planning instrument identifies port functions as a key planning principle for the area,

stating that the operation, concentration and rationalisation of commercial shipping facilities is to be

supported to meet the changing needs of Sydney Harbour as a commercial port. In regards to the Bays

Precinct, SREP-26 sets out a number of planning principles including that development should recognise

that the port operates 24 hours a day and that the generation of noise, lighting and traffic movements are

necessarily associated with its operation.

Consistent with SREP-26 (SEPP), the following controls, some of which were historically developed, include

specific components to address noise from external sources such as roads and the port:

• Glebe Island and White Bay Masterplan 2000

• Leichhardt DCP 2000 (superseded), which was applied up to the time of being superseded by

Leichhardt DCP 2013

• Urban Development Plan (UDP) for Ultimo-Pyrmont Precinct (1995 and 1999 updates) (superseded but

applied at the time of development)

• Lend Lease Master Plan 1997 (Jackson’s Landing) (superseded but applied at the time of

development)

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• Sydney DCP 2012

• specific development consents for Pyrmont requiring buildings to be designed so that noise from the

port and ANZAC Bridge do not result in internal noise levels exceeding those consistent with Australian

Standard 2107 - Recommended design sound levels and reverberation times for building interiors.

The Glebe Island and White Bay Masterplan identifies 24/7 port noise levels at residential receiver locations

ranging between 53dBA and 57dBA L

Aeq

. Subsequent work completed in accordance with the Lend Lease

Masterplan identified 24/7 noise levels up to 64dBA L

Aeq

at residences at Jackson’s Landing. The former

Urban Development Plan (UDP) for Ultimo-Pyrmont Precinct, adopted by the Minister of Urban Affairs and

Planning in 1995 and 1999 included noise attenuation requirements for development near major noise

sources such as the port facility and elevated arterial roads.

In summary, many of the above DCPs, Plans and development consents require buildings around the port to

be designed so that external noise levels from roads and industry (including the Port) do not produce internal

noise levels greater than Australian Standard 2107.

An example of a development consent condition for Jackson’s Landing where external noise levels were

assessed as being up to 64dBA L

Aeq

is outlined below:

The Development shall address the noise impacts from traffic and operations of the port. Prior to

lodgement of the Building Application a report shall be submitted to City West Planning indicating

compliance with the noise attenuation measures required to satisfy the criteria indicated in the Lend

Lease Master Plan 1997. This criteria being: (a) That the building will be acoustically treated, such

that the mean logarithmic L

Aeq

(1h) level will not exceed 35 dB(A) in sleeping areas at night time and

40 dB(A) in other internal areas (not including garages, kitchens, bathrooms and hallways) during

day time (night time meaning between 10pm and 6am on the following day)

3.2.2 Other examples of noise treated residences under a SEPP or planning controls

The use of planning controls for new residential developments to protect against existing noise from

infrastructure, industry and transport noise is common. Some examples include:

• all residential development in NSW near busy roads and rail corridors which is completed in

accordance with SEPP (Infrastructure) 2007

• Waterside, Penrith by Stockton

• residents near all major airports in Australia. This includes those with 24/7 operation and with curfews.

3.3 NSW environmental legislation for noise emission

The POEO Act and the POEO (Noise Control) Regulation 2017 (Noise Control Regulation) provide the main

legal framework and basis for managing noise in NSW. It also makes certain agencies the appropriate

regulatory authority (ARA) responsible for various premises/activities. This includes local councils, the EPA,

Marine Parks Authority, Roads and Maritime Services (now Transport for NSW).

3.3.1 NSW environmental noise policy

The EPA’s Noise Policy for Industry (NPfI) was designed to ensure that potential noise impacts associated

with industrial projects are managed effectively. This policy sets out the requirements for the assessment

and management of noise from industry in NSW. It aims to ensure that noise is kept to acceptable levels in

balance with the social and economic value of industry in NSW.

When new industry is being proposed or existing industry is being upgraded, redeveloped or needs review,

attention needs to be paid to controlling noise. The NPfI is designed to assist industry and

approval/regulatory authorities ensure that potential noise impacts associated with industrial projects are

managed effectively.

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3.3.2 NSW Environment Protection Licences (EPL) under the POEO Act

Under the POEO Act, an Environment Protection Licence (EPL) may be required for port activities,

depending on the nature of the activities. Currently, some EPLs in Glebe Island and White Bay have noise

limits and some do not. Hence different premises in the port have different noise requirements and limits.

3.4 Port Noise Policy

This policy is designed to facilitate improved noise outcomes and port operations within the context and

constraints of SREP-26, other planning controls and environmental legislation.

It aims ensure that noise from all vessels is managed in a consistent, transparent and fair manner,

regardless of vessel and cargo type. This policy thereby aims to address inconsistencies in approvals and

EPLs by ensuring that all vessels visiting the port of Glebe Island and White Bay are required to meet the

same noise standard.

This policy is an application of the NPfI (further information is included in Sections 6.2 and 8.4.1). As such

all new and upgraded operations need to be assessed to identify potential noise impacts and feasible and

reasonable mitigation applied.

The NPfI and superseded Industrial Noise Policy acknowledges:

• there are challenges for sites that predate the current noise policy to meet the latest noise criteria

• where it is not possible to meet the latest noise criteria, to instead consider the use of alternative noise

triggers that are practical to achieve with feasible and reasonable mitigation and within constraints

associated with the site. The alternative triggers are implemented with a noise reduction strategy to

reduce noise emissions towards the EPA policy criteria over a period of time.

In accordance with the NPfI, this policy identifies a practical mechanism to reduce port noise within the

context of planning controls for Bays West.

The noise maps produced under this policy and associated tables (Appendix I) also provide historical,

current and future information to improve transparency about noise, inform community and assist in the

application of planning controls.

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4 Policy overview

This policy is structured so that the main text provides an overview of how noise is managed including key

outcomes. How the outcomes are derived and applied are detailed in the associated guidelines, protocols,

standards and noise maps.

Table 1: Port Noise Policy components for Glebe Island and White Bay

Document

Purpose

Key points

Port Noise Policy

(this document)

Outlines overarching principles relating to

noise from vessels and, for landside activities,

managing a noise precinct. This includes the

context for noise assessments for new port

users and surrounding residential and

commercial development.

Outlines why the policy was developed.

Provides a summary of noise criteria for

vessels and landside activities by following the

appendices.

Summary of how port noise will be managed.

Vessel Noise

Guideline

(Appendix F)

Outlines the approach to assessing and

managing noise from vessels, including

preparing noise maps of current and projected

future noise levels.

Describes the process to set target noise

levels for vessels and the steps for completing

a vessel noise assessment.

Landside

Precinct Noise

Guideline

(Appendix G)

Details the process of assessing noise from

landside activities, setting user contribution

criteria, monitoring compliance and identifying

noise mitigation actions.

Shows how to set noise criteria for landside

activities and how to complete a landside noise

assessment.

Vessel Noise

Operating

Protocol

(published

online)

Details operating protocols applicable to each

berth to manage vessels which exceed

prescribed noise levels and includes specific

actions to manage exceedances.

Defines the steps to be taken if a vessel is

noisier than the trigger level.

Noise Standard

(Appendix H)

Documents the allocation of contributions by

individual port users to the whole-of-precinct

noise criteria for landside activities, and

defines the trigger noise level for vessels at

berth.

Lists the vessel trigger levels and landside

criteria for every berth and operator at the port.

Noise Maps

(Appendix I)

Graphically outlines the port noise emission

profile of Glebe Island and White Bay for

landside and vessel noise and may be used to

inform land use planning for new

developments encroaching on the port and

illustrate the expected noise environment

surrounding the port.

Contains noise maps for all noise from the

port. The vessel noise maps compare how

annual noise levels vary around the port and

over different years. The tables show the noise

levels from each ship while it is at the berth.

Additional maps show noise levels from

landside activities and total worst-case noise

levels for ships plus landside noise.

4.1 Policy development

The following factors and documents were considered in developing this policy and the development of

assessment criteria/trigger noise levels:

• planning and construction of White Bay and Glebe Island berths and other port infrastructure pre-dates

any environmental noise legislation and guidelines

• the close proximity of the port to residential areas

• differences between the way that ports and industrial sites operate

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• assessment criteria for other forms of transport (road, rail and aircraft)

• EPLs for each of the premises for shipping in bulk licensed by the EPA in Glebe Island and White Bay

• any existing noise limits and restrictions to port operations as defined in planning approvals (noting that

consents for several premises within Glebe Island and White Bay do not have any restrictions on noise

or hours of operation).

• EPA Noise Policy for Industry 2017

• NSW State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007

• Sydney Regional Environmental Plan - 26 – City West

• New Zealand Standard 6809:1999, Acoustics – Port Noise Management and Land Use Planning

The application of existing NSW noise policy to a port holds some unique challenges as there are significant

differences between a port and a typical industrial site, which are described in Table 2 below. It is primarily

for these reasons that this policy has been developed.

Table 2: Port operations versus industrial operations

Port site

Industrial site

Ports are a unique piece of infrastructure that

cannot be easily relocated.

An industrial site (or precinct) may be shifted over time to

an alternative location to reflect changes in surrounding

land use.

Vessels are transient and operate in a national

or international context.

An industrial site comprises mostly fixed mechanical plant

and equipment where there is a high degree of control over

the equipment and opportunities to invest in noise

reduction.

Noise emissions from individual operations may

be sporadic and/or seasonal.

Noise emissions from industrial operations are typically

relatively steady throughout the year.

Ports may act as a natural amphitheatre which

limits the effect of shielding.

Industrial sites are mainly fixed infrastructure where the site

and receivers share relatively level and similar topography.

Local regulation of noise emissions must be

reasonably congruent with international

standards.

Local regulation of noise emissions is largely independent

of international standards.

Further detail on various factors considered in the development of this policy including historical context and

changes in the port noise environment, other port and transport criteria, and factors influencing vessel noise

are included in the following appendices:

• history of Glebe Island and White Bay (Appendix A)

• overview of other Australian and international port noise criteria (Appendix B)

• changes in noise levels at Glebe Island and White Bay (Appendix C)

• comparison with approaches for other vehicles (Appendix D)

• factors influencing vessel noise (Appendix E).

4.2 Policy commencement and review

This policy will commence from January 2021. Information about the implementation of the policy to existing

and future port operations will be made available on the Port Authority’s website over time.

Port Authority will review this policy every five years, in consultation with EPA and Department of Planning,

Industry and Environment and stakeholders, including the Glebe Island and White Bay Community Liaison

Group and port operators, to ensure that the policy still meets the legislative framework and properly

addresses the challenges of the port of Glebe Island and White Bay.

Port Authority in consultation with EPA will review the vessel trigger noise level every three years. Further

detail on the review of the vessel trigger noise level is contained in Vessel Noise Guideline (Appendix F,

Section 6.3).

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5 Policy application

The Port Noise Policy, for the first time, outlines an approach to manage all landside activities and vessels at

Glebe Island and White Bay in a single consistent approach.

For vessels this includes all new and existing operations that, prior to the policy, may or may not have had

noise criteria set in planning approvals or EPLs. For each of these vessel operations the policy provides a

mechanism for ongoing noise reduction and noise criteria.

For landside activities all existing and new landside activity noise levels will be evaluated individually and as

a whole. Many existing criteria, prior to the policy, permit noise levels that are higher than could reasonably

be expected for the operations. Landside criteria for all existing operators shall be reviewed so any criteria

applied to an individual operator only reflects a fair and reasonable value that a well managed site could be

expected to emit. This approach ensures that summed individual criteria and cumulative operational noise

levels for port landside operations do not exceed the cumulative noise limit. Over time, the criteria applied to

each individual operator will be reviewed after considering all reasonable and feasible noise mitigation that

could be applied to the operations which is likely to result in a downward trend to the cumulative noise limit.

All noise levels for vessels, landside activities and cumulative noise levels are presented in noise maps

(Appendix I).The intended application of the policy when implemented is illustrated by the following three

examples.

Example 1 – existing vessel operations with no noise limits

Previous situation (prior to policy)

A number of bulk shipping vessel operations, prior to the policy, do not have noise limits under EPLs or

planning consents.

Noise levels were unrestricted, causing impacts on community with limited ability to reduce impacts through

regulatory means.

New situation (under this policy)

Under the policy all bulk shipping vessels have a noise limit.

The policy has set this limit at 55dBA at night time with a 24/7 noise goal of 55dBA.

Over time this may be reduced.

Benefits

Vessel unloading noise levels are now limited to 55dBA for all berths.

Vessels now have achievable noise targets and in the longer term, review of the policy will aim to reduce this

limit while unloading.

Example 2 – existing vessel operations with noise limits and unloading

restriction

Previous situation (prior to policy)

Current restrictions for some operations have prohibited unloading between 10pm and 7am for some berths

if night time noise levels exceed 45 dBA while the vessel is at berth. This limit does not apply to other users

of the berth.

Noise levels from other operators at this berth have been measured up to 55dBA at night. Noise levels from

vessels subject to this unloading restriction regularly produce noise in the low to mid 50dBA range when not

unloading (for example from operation of vessel engines and fans). Restarting of unloading preparations

may produce loud events which cause sleep disturbance before 7am.

The resulting effect of the unloading restriction is to approximately double the number of days and nights

where a vessel is impacting the community.

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New situation (under this policy)

Under this policy, the vessel noise limit has instead been set at 55dBA while unloading. Vessels are sourced

that can unload at or less than 55dBA. This level is similar to many of the previous vessels when not

unloading.

Benefits

Loud sleep disturbance events from restarting unloading have been eliminated, as this no longer has to

occur to re-commence operations in the early morning.

The number of days a vessel is required to be at berth to unload has reduced by approximately 50%.

Assuming the number of vessels utilising the berth remain constant, this increases the number of days

without a vessel at the berth.

Daytime unloading noise levels are now reduced to 55dBA, where as previously noise levels were measured

up to 64dBA during the day.

Vessels now have achievable noise targets and in the longer term, review of the policy will aim to reduce this

limit while unloading.

Example 3 – new port operation

A new operation is proposed at the port and it will be required to obtain a planning approval. The following

steps would be undertaken by the proponent as part of the assessment process:

• Identify the type of vessel that would use the berth and the possible range of noise levels from this

vessel. Identify the median and upper 10

percentile noise levels of the proposed vessel noise. The

median becomes the vessel trigger noise level and criteria for a vessel.

• Identify the potential noise impact of the landside activity. If the new landside activity causes a

significant increase in noise and/or causes overall port cumulative noise limits to be exceeded, then

noise mitigation needs to be included as part of the development to limit noise increases and so that

total landside noise from the port is less than the cumulative noise limit.

• Port Authority will review the reasonableness of the proposed noise emission from the landside activity

and verify the maximum permissible noise levels for the landside activity for use in the environmental

assessment.

• The environmental assessment will assess the potential cumulative noise impact from the landside

activities with a median vessel and also an upper 10

percentile vessel to identify any required feasible

and reasonable noise mitigation. Guidance on feasible and reasonable is taken from the NPfI and the

policy. The landside activity (which may at times be undertaken in the absence of a vessel) assessment

will demonstrate compliance with the maximum permissible noise levels for the new activity and

cumulative compliance for overall port landside noise levels.

If approved, the new operation will need to comply with consent conditions and an EPL if relevant.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 13

6 Noise guidelines

The Vessel Noise Guideline (Appendix F) and Landside Precinct Noise Guideline (Appendix G) outline the

processes for setting and assessing noise criteria for port activities and communicating the outcomes to

community and other stakeholders. The following sections describe the rationale of these two guidelines and

how they will be implemented.

Where agreed with regulators and approval authorities the outputs of these guidelines may be incorporated

into the following for port developments:

• conditions in planning approvals

• Environment Protection Licences issued by the EPA.

The noise maps produced by implementing these guidelines may also be applied by approval authorities

when developing planning controls for residential and commercial developments encroaching on the port on

nearby land (Appendix I).

The environmental noise criteria in this policy aim to provide protection for noise sensitive receivers in the

areas surrounding Glebe Island and White Bay. Residential receivers are assessed for vessel and landside

noise outside the receiver at the residential property boundary or as defined in the EPA’s NPfI. Other

premises have internal noise criteria. These include schools, places of worship and hospitals (see the EPA’s

NPfI for additional detail and a complete list of receiver types).

Planning controls for residential and commercial developers on land near the port have internal noise criteria

for living areas and bedrooms.

6.1 Vessel Noise Guideline

Management of vessel noise is addressed in the Vessel Noise Guideline (Appendix F) which has been

developed by using Section 10 of the EPA’s NPfI to set a trigger noise level for vessels at berth based on

noise levels that may reasonably be achieved while minimising impacts on the community.

The requirement for vessels visiting Glebe Island and White Bay to comply with the trigger noise level is

included in access agreements for tenants and terms and conditions for ship operators. The specific vessel

noise operating protocol for each berth outlines the actions which are to be undertaken if a vessel exceeds

the trigger noise level. The noise levels will be measured at each berth when a vessel is present. Where

noise levels from the vessel exceed the noise trigger, the user will be required to ensure that the vessel can

subsequently meet the noise trigger by applying corrective action.

If compliance with noise triggers cannot be achieved on a repeated basis, operating restrictions will be

applied. Careful consideration should be given to applying unloading restrictions that increase the length of

stay as restrictions are not wholly effective in reducing noise levels. This is because vessels still produce

noise impacts when not unloading. A longer stay at berth generally increases overall noise exposure from

the vessel.

The approach of setting triggers for individual vessels is consistent with the approach that has already been

used to set noise targets for individual road and rail vehicles and aircraft (further detail is in Appendix D).

While similarities can be found in noise emission and management approaches that between industrial

operations and the landside activities at a port, noise emissions from vessels differ from the noise emissions

of vehicles within a typical industrial site, because (in the absence of this policy) they do not fall into either of

these two categories:

• captive and solely used within the site

• visitors to the site with individual noise targets set by other criteria or regulations.

This has historically made the management of vessel noise, and the prediction and modelling of overall port

noise, problematic.

The setting of a trigger level for vessels simplifies future noise predictions as it puts an upper limit on the

representative range in noise levels. This provides enough certainty to produce reliable noise maps that

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 14

illustrate relative noise impact from multiple vessels visiting the port over representative time periods. For

vessels at White Bay and Glebe Island the selected time periods for preparation of noise maps are 1 year,

and the three months of summer and winter to provide information on any seasonal variation. This mapping

technique with extended time period averages is used for road traffic noise, which use annual average traffic

volumes, and to produce Australian Noise Exposure Forecast noise maps for airports (see Appendix D).

The vessel trigger noise level should not be viewed as an amenity based criteria. The vessel trigger noise

level and upper 10

percentile level obtained in Appendix F informs the representative noise levels used to

assess the cumulative noise from an operation and an individual vessel at a berth as well as the whole port

in an environmental assessment or review. Appendix F recommends mitigation is considered based on

exceedance of specified target noise levels and exposure.

The Vessel Noise Guideline outlines how trigger noise levels from all berths across the port are used to

develop whole of port noise maps that illustrate annual and seasonal noise exposure by the port on

surrounding areas. These maps also include future projections for the port.

The vessel trigger levels were derived from median unloading noise levels (based on review and analysis of

available measured noise from vessels) and what is reasonable and feasible to achieve at the port due to

proximity to residences and current vessel design. In terms of overall noise, the trigger levels were reviewed

against and found to be similar to noise level criteria for other transportation noise sources in NSW and also

to some port criteria in some other jurisdictions (see Appendix B and Appendix D). However, the review

overall showed that noise criteria levels for port and vessel noise are inconsistent internationally and across

Australia.

6.2 Landside Precinct Noise Guideline

The Landside Precinct Noise Guideline adopts the concepts of noise management precincts outlined in the

EPA NPfI. A Noise Management Precinct enables an area with many proponents to operate as a single site

that is required to meet the amenity level, where feasible and reasonable. This approach simplifies

assessment and compliance by setting a single noise goal which all tenants must collectively meet.

The concept of a Noise Management Precinct will be introduced in all port tenant leases of Glebe Island and

White Bay from January 2021. Under each lease, each tenant has been allocated an individual maximum

permissible noise level which collectively will meet the assessment criteria for the precinct.

The guideline sets the processes for undertaking an environmental assessment within the Noise

Management Precinct for a port development and equitably allocates permissible noise emission and the

burden of noise mitigation to each proponent. It also outlines ongoing noise monitoring and compliance

requirements.

Precincts provide the flexibility to apply additional noise mitigation to an existing proponent if this is more

cost effective and practicable than just mitigating noise from a new proponent. If this mechanism is utilised,

the permissible noise emission for a proponent may change over time if a new proponent seeks approval to

operate within a port and it is more cost effective to additionally mitigate an existing proponent.

The Noise Management Precinct will not include the operations of construction projects and staging support

being carried out on Glebe Island and White Bay. This is because these activities are governed by their own

separate planning processes and noise criteria defined in planning approval conditions (not directly related to

port precinct criteria), and which are not anticipated to continue with port operations in the long term.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 15

6.3 Planning controls

The two guidelines outline the process for developing noise maps which may be used by approval authorities

to inform the preparation of planning controls for new developments that are encroaching on the port. These

controls could be considered by approval authorities to be adopted within statutory planning policies or

project approval conditions. Planning controls may be used to ensure that internal noise levels in new

buildings provide appropriate levels of amenity for their occupants. These controls are applied as internal

noise level criteria.

Achieving the internal noise criteria requires the developer to locate the building away from noise, construct

noise barriers or design the building façade to provide sufficient noise attenuation to meet the internal noise

criteria.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 16

7 Noise trigger levels and criteria

The following tables outline the initial vessel trigger noise levels and landside criteria established under this

policy using the Vessel Noise Guideline (Appendix F) and the Landside Precinct Noise Guideline (Appendix

G).

The Noise Standard (Appendix H) sets the current vessel trigger noise levels and the detailed allocation of

the landside noise criteria for individual port users. Note the vessel trigger noise levels will be periodically

reviewed to consider whether the triggers may be lowered to reduce overall port noise.

These noise levels assume that they have taken into consideration any annoying characteristics as defined

under the Vessel Noise Guideline and Landside Precinct Noise Guideline.

The 24/7 noise goal for an individual vessel at berth is 55dBA or less while unloading. Table 3 shows the

24/7 goal is applied in the night time as a vessel trigger noise level. In the daytime a plus 5dBA allowance is

applied to the 24/7 goal. The plus 5 dBA provides short term allowance for vessels that have to restrict night

time unloading rates to meet the night time 55dBA vessel trigger noise level.

The trigger level is applicable at the worst affected sensitive receiver at the time of commencing this policy.

Table 3: Vessel Trigger Noise Levels (external)

Environmental trigger

applied to vessels at

berth

Assessment

Location

Day (L

Aeq, 15hr

)

(7am to

10pm)

Night (L

Aeq, 1hr

)

(10pm to

7am)

Night (L

Amax

)

(10pm to

7am)

Glebe Island 1 and 2

Glebe Island 7 and 8

White Bay 3

White Bay 4 (non-cruise)

All sensitive

receivers near the

port

60 dBA

55 dBA

65 dBA

Note 1: This includes a 5dBA allowance in the short term for vessels that cannot meet the night time vessel trigger noise

level without restrictions to unloading speeds. The 24/7 goal is the median unloading noise level for vessels which is

applied as the night time vessel trigger noise level

Port Authority will review each vessel trigger noise level utilising the principles outlined in Appendix F, in any

case not reducing the vessel trigger noise level by more than 2dBA during each review period.

The currently anticipated ultimate noise trigger following multiple 2dBA (maximum incremental) reductions is

50dBA which is the anticipated minimum noise level that could reasonably be achieved by vessels at this

point in time. Any vessel noise reduction beyond 50dBA based on current technologies is not considered

feasible and would be expected not have measurable benefit given the existing background noise levels in

the community and other sources of ambient noise. This goal will be reviewed overtime with changes to the

ambient noise.

The cumulative noise limit is outlined in Table 4. These criteria represent the total amenity noise level that all

port landside activities collectively must not exceed following successive industrial developments where

feasible and reasonable. The precinct criteria are applicable at the worst affected sensitive receiver current

at the time of commencing this policy and are equivalent to the NPfI’s amenity criteria for an urban industrial

interface.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 17

Table 4: Port landside precinct noise criteria

Category

Assessment Location

Day (L

Aeq, 1hr

)

(7am to 10pm)

Night (L

Aeq, 1hr

)

(10pm to 7am)

Planning control applied to

cumulative landside and

vessel noise

New residential developments

near the port

40 dBA

35 dBA

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 18

8 Management and mitigation of port noise

There are three distinct approaches used to mitigate noise from the port, each relating to either vessels,

landside activities or whole of port noise levels.

Underpinning each of these are contracts between the Port Authority and each of the port users, which

outline the noise criteria for vessels and landside activities with actions that will be undertaken if noise levels

exceed agreed levels.

Port Authority also plays an active role in reviewing and setting trigger levels for vessels in a collaborative

manner with stakeholders.

8.1 Noise monitoring

Port Authority will proactively monitor noise levels from vessels and measure collective noise levels from the

landside precinct. The results of noise monitoring will be reported on Port Authority’s website.

Actions will be undertaken by Port Authority where noise levels exceed vessel noise trigger levels or the

landside noise precinct criteria, as described in Section 8.1.1 and 8.1.2.

8.1.1 Vessel noise monitoring and management actions

Port Authority will measure the noise level for all visiting vessels and initiate actions, outlined in the operating

protocols, if exceedances occur. A first step will be informing the tenants and vessel operator that the vessel

exceeds the noise trigger level. This shall be identified by attended or automated noise measurement.

If the vessel is unable to immediately reduce noise, and Port Authority’s attended measurement confirms the

vessel is the noise source, then Port Authority will issue a corrective action notice to the vessel. The vessel

will then be required to prepare and implement a management plan to reduce noise before the next visit.

Significant ongoing exceedances on subsequent visits may result in a ban of the vessel.

The vessel operators of noisy vessels have the following options to avoid a ban of the vessel:

• successfully implementing a management and noise reduction plan

• mitigating the vessel

• selecting a quieter vessel for future visits.

The responsibility for addressing noise from specific vessels falls to the vessel operators and the overall

responsibility for repeated failure to comply with the operating protocols is with the tenant.

Further detail is provided in the Operating Protocols developed for each berth, which are published on Port

Authority’s website.

8.1.2 Landside precinct noise monitoring and management actions

Port Authority will undertake noise monitoring of the landside precinct and compare it with the benchmark

noise level for the precinct.

The operators of landside activities or owners of landside infrastructure are responsible for meeting noise

criteria. The operators and owners may be external organisations (generally tenants) or Port Authority.

If noise levels from landside activities exceed the precinct criteria, Port Authority will require landside

operators to verify and report on their noise emission. If a landside operator has exceeded their maximum

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 19

permissible noise level, they will be required to reduce noise from their landside activities to meet their

contractual commitments to Port Authority.

Under the principles of a noise precinct and the terms of the contracts between operators and Port Authority,

noise reduction may be undertaken for an operator’s own site or alternatively for another operators site if it is

more cost effective and there are no reasonable objections.

8.2 Vessel noise reduction

There are currently no international or national environmental design criteria for noise emissions from a

vessel to manage noise levels at nearby sensitive receivers. Outside this policy, the only noise requirements

are those introduced during a vessel’s design and construction stage for on-board safety and crew comfort.

Depending on the individual vessel, noise reduction may or may not be feasible for technical or economic

reasons.

Potential mitigation for existing vessels may include additional or upgraded silencers, improved ducting

design and attenuators for fans, pumps, generators and engines. While there are different types of silencers

and attenuators available, their design and location within the length of exhaust ducting needs to be tuned to

the noise source.

For engines and generators, key factors relating to noise are the operational revolutions per minute (rpm),

number of cylinders and capacity of the engine, particularly to reduce low frequency tonal noise.

There are greater opportunities to reduce noise during the design phase of new ships beyond the minimum

requirements for on-board comfort and safety, and this is the easiest time to incorporate mitigation

measures.

Due to space and access requirements, opportunities to retrofit additional noise mitigation to a given vessel

may be limited and can only be reviewed on a case by case basis.

8.3 Landside noise mitigation

The landside activities at White Bay and Glebe Island mostly relate to handling and processing passengers

and cargo including bulk dry and liquid goods. These landside operations are similar to the activities in an

industrial site, as are the potential mitigation options. These include:

• use of quieter plant and alternative material handling rates

• control of vehicle noise using silencing, speed restrictions, plant selection and smooth pavements

without potholes, bumps and abrupt changes in level

• operational restrictions including hours of operation and material processing rates.

• noise barriers such as acoustic sheds, partial enclosures and other forms

• at-receiver noise treatments.

Additionally, while a vessel is at berth, the vessel may:

• provide acoustic shielding to receivers on the seaward side

• act as a reflector to landside receivers

• mask noise from landside activities or significantly alter the background noise level.

8.4 Whole of port noise mitigation

Port Authority mitigates whole of port noise levels using various strategies. These include:

• strategic planning for permitted activities at various berths

• contractual arrangements with port users to limit noise

• setting of achievable noise triggers for vessels and criteria for landside activities

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 20

• whole of port noise monitoring

• implementing protocols should vessel or landside noise exceed the triggers and criteria set under this

policy

• periodic review of vessel trigger noise levels to consider reducing the level to quieter level.

Port Authority may consider additional noise mitigation where noise exposure is still significant after the

application of these strategies.

8.4.1 Feasible and reasonable noise mitigation

Noise mitigation will only be considered where it is ‘feasible and reasonable’ as defined in Fact Sheet F of

the EPA’s NPfI:

A feasible mitigation measure is a noise mitigation measure that can be engineered and is practical

to build and/or implement, given project constraints such as safety, maintenance, and reliability

requirements. It may also include options such as amending operational practices (for example,

changing a noisy operation to a less-sensitive period or location) to achieve noise reduction.

Selecting reasonable measures from those that are feasible involves judging whether the overall

noise benefits outweigh the overall adverse social, economic, and environmental effects, including

the cost of the mitigation measure.

The EPA’s NPfI requires that a consideration of ‘reasonableness’ must look at the range of feasible

measures to determine which measures are appropriate, having regard to a number of factors outlined in

Fact Sheet F:

• Noise impacts:

o existing and future levels, and projected changes in noise levels

o level of amenity before the development, for example, the number of people affected or annoyed

o the amount by which the triggers are exceeded.

• Noise mitigation benefits:

o the amount of noise reduction expected, including the cumulative effectiveness of proposed

mitigation measures, for example, a noise wall/mound should be able to reduce noise levels by at

least 5 decibels

o the number of people protected.

• Cost effectiveness of noise mitigation:

o the total cost of mitigation measures

o noise mitigation costs compared with total project costs, taking into account capital and

maintenance costs

o ongoing operational and maintenance cost borne by the community, for example, running air

conditioners or mechanical ventilation.

• Community views:

o engage with affected land users when deciding about aesthetic and other impacts of noise

mitigation measures

o determine the views of all affected land users, not just those making representations, through early

community consultation

o consider noise mitigation measures that have majority support from the affected community.

EPA NPfI (2017), Fact Sheet F: Feasible and Reasonable Mitigation www.epa.nsw.gov.au

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 21

There are additional factors to take into account when considering noise impacts for a port:

• noise impacts may be seasonal which lessens community annoyance for the same noise level

• noise impacts may be sporadic for a limited number of consecutive hours or days before respite

between vessel visits

• triggers for vessel noise should reflect what is reasonable for the operator in a national and international

context.

There are also considerations for an existing port:

• once constructed and operational, a port cannot be easily relocated

• ports are significant infrastructure constructed following substantial government investment

• a port requires specific geographical features to provide safe berthing for loading and unloading and

they are commonly extensively modified to provide sufficient water depth for vessels and cargo

operations through dredging and land reclamation

• transportation modes (such as road and rail) have usually been established to support the land

transport of passengers or bulk goods to and from the port

• EPA’s NPfI and superseded Industrial Noise Policy acknowledges:

o there are challenges for sites that predate the current noise policy to meet the latest noise criteria

o where it is not possible to meet the latest noise criteria, to instead consider the use of alternative

noise triggers that are practical to achieve with feasible and reasonable mitigation and within

constraints associated with the site. The alternative triggers are implemented with a noise reduction

strategy to reduce noise emissions towards the EPA policy criteria over a period of time.

8.4.2 Considerations for Glebe Island and White Bay noise mitigation

Glebe Island and White Bay have been port facilities for over 100 years following land reclamation and initial

construction of the wharves that are still used today. The wharves and other port infrastructure of Glebe

Island and White Bay are ‘existing infrastructure’ under the EPA’s NPfI and all superseded EPA noise

policies. Noise due to changes and intensification of port activities must also be assessed and managed.

When assessing noise criteria and considering any noise mitigation for Glebe Island and White Bay the

following reasonableness measures will be taken into account:

• the port infrastructure was constructed prior to any environmental noise criteria

• noise emissions from individual operators or proponents may be sporadic and/or seasonal which

means that annual, seasonal and weekly noise exposure may vary, with quieter periods between vessel

visits

• noise from an occupied berth may be reasonably consistent between different ship types or proponents

over a period of many decades

• management of noise requires strategic planning of the port as a whole to manage noise from the

individual operators. This requires individual proponents and operations to be located in places where

they will create the least conflict with surrounding land uses

• landside operations may be shielded by the ship so that the noise from these operations is not as

significant

• ports may be a natural amphitheatre limiting the effects of shielding, noting that vessel noise sources

range from 0.5m to at least 25m above the waterline and receivers are often elevated by topography.

Miedema, H.M.E. and Vos, H., 2004, Noise annoyance from stationary sources: Relationships with

exposure metric day evening night level (DENL) and their confidence intervals, The Journal of the Acoustical

Society of America, 116/1, pp 334 - 343

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 22

8.4.3 Berthing allocations

Minimising port noise involves an assessment of the current needs and uses of the berths at Glebe Island

and White Bay and active management of the berths matching the appropriate uses to the appropriate

locations. The primary current use for the berths at Glebe Island and White Bay is for the transportation of

bulk goods, such as cement, gypsum, sugar, salt and tallow.

Vessels carrying bulk goods typically require overnight stays (24 hours or more) to provide sufficient time to

unload or load cargo. The location of these activities within the port are best suited to the berths closer to

ANZAC bridge at Glebe Island and berths 3 and 4 at White Bay, which already have a reasonable level of

background noise due to nearby roads. Many of the residences in these noisier locations (particularly recent

developments in Pyrmont and in Buchanan Street, Balmain) have been approved and designed to address

night time noise levels from ANZAC bridge and the port.

The preferred location for the cruise ships is at White Bay berths 4 and 5 as the number of overnight visits

from cruise ships is currently relatively low compared to bulk vessels at other berths and unlikely to

significantly increase in the future. A noise attenuation program to mitigate noise from cruise ships

commenced in October 2018 for White Bay Cruise Terminal, and extended to mitigate noise from cruise

ships at White Bay berth 4 in January 2020.

Port Authority has a berthing allocation process which defines the considerations made in allocating ships

not servicing Port Authority’s usual port operators known as ‘infrequent visitors’ to berths at White Bay and

Glebe Island. The process also sets the minimum expectations of behaviour (in relation to noise generating

operations) required from these ships while utilising these berths. The aim is to provide guidance to ensure

that the most appropriate available location is selected for infrequent visitors thereby minimising the impacts

of these ships’ activities on the local community.

Infrequent visitors currently include:

• vessels discharging project cargo (including equipment required for construction projects within

Sydney)

• vessels in need – ships needing berth space at short notice, for example, to carry out emergency

repairs, obtain refuge from adverse weather conditions and any ship under detention.

The berth allocation process defines the allocation of berths to infrequent visitor ships based on:

• availability

• suitability

• proximity to residents

• whether nearby residential areas are attenuated for noise

• equitable distribution.

8.4.4 Noise barriers

Noise barriers are generally not considered feasible and reasonable to reduce noise from vessels,

particularly in Glebe Island and White Bay because:

• residences and vessels noise sources are usually elevated at White Bay and Glebe Island, which limits

the effectiveness of practical noise barriers. Noise barriers would need to be more than 30 metres in

height

• there is limited land available between the vessel and residence for construction of a barrier

• barriers may impact water views from the residential properties.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 23

8.4.5 Shore power

Shore power is often suggested as a solution to reduce ship noise. However noise emission from a vessel

would still continue as shore power only eliminates the need for generators and not the on-board systems

the generators are powering (for example, air conditioning and ventilation systems, and cargo unloading

systems such as conveyors), which can be significant noise sources. Shore power may provide a minimal

reduction in noise depending on the specific vessel.

A 2017 study of shore power for the White Bay Cruise Terminal also showed that only about 25% of vessels

using the facility at that time had the capacity to use shore power, which would limit the benefits of installing

a shore power capability (this study is currently in the process of being updated). The study also showed that

the duration of the benefits during a typical visit (generally 12 hours) were limited due to the amount of time

required to connect/disconnect and shut down/start up.

It is noted that the percentage of cruise vessels or visits may change with time depending on the capability of

each of the scheduled ships and their frequency of visits.

For the bulk cargo vessels using Glebe Island and White Bay berths, there are currently no known vessels

that can connect to shore power. Should this capability develop in the future, the benefits may be greater for

a cargo vessel than a cruise vessel. Bulk goods vessels are typically in port longer than a cruise ship and so

any noise reduction may have an improved outcome for noise exposure. The shore power systems required

may also be less expensive to install as the power requirements for a cargo vessel are generally less than

for a cruise vessel.

8.4.6 At-receiver treatments

Given the limitations of the mitigation options outlined above, at-receiver treatments, which include

upgrading glazing and façade elements, are considered to be the most practical way to achieve significant

noise mitigation for vessel noise. To be effective treatment must provide an air-tight seal to the outside. The

sealing of airflow means that fresh air ventilation should be provided to the building. Roads and Maritime

Services Draft At-receiver treatment guideline (2017) details how to retrofit treatments to existing buildings.

Additional discussion on the mitigation of ship noise has recently been published in NEPTUNES’s Mitigation

of Noise from Ships at Berth (2019).

Port Authority, as part of its Noise Mitigation Strategy for White Bay Cruise Terminal, has committed to at-

receiver treatments for eligible properties to address exceedances of the noise criteria outlined in the

planning approval for the terminal.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 24

Appendix A

History of Glebe Island and White Bay

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 25

A.1. History of Glebe Island and White Bay

The berths and wharf infrastructure at Glebe Island and White Bay have a long history spanning over 100

years. Following land reclamation, the area of Glebe Island and White Bay became progressively

industrialised with the improvement of land access for the carriage of goods to and from the port. The port

resulted in significant and ongoing investment and employment opportunities.

An example of early planning for the port and associated industry is shown below from 1913. The area

corresponding to the current port boundary is outlined in blue. While residential development near the port is

evident at this time in Balmain, planning requirements at the time did not include restrictions on noise

emissions.

Figure 2: Planning of Glebe Island and White Bay circa 1913 with current port area outlined in blue

https://dictionaryofsydney.org/media/5588

More recently in 2000, a master plan for the port of Glebe Island and White Bay was approved by the NSW

Department of Urban Affairs and Planning. The most significant changes from a noise perspective since the

1913 plan, have been increased residential development around the port and an increase in ship size

(Figure 3). A timeline of summary of key uses and events follows.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 26

Figure 3: Current port areas outlined in blue

A summary of the uses of the port of Glebe Island and White Bay include:

• 1854-1902 - Steam saw mill and joinery works at White Bay

• 1875 – Australian Gas and Light Company gas processing at White Bay

• 1895 – Reclamation of White Bay by a Lever Brothers subsidiary for soap works which continued until

1988 by Unilever

• Early 1900’s – Ship builders, a coal and engineering company operated at the site of the current White

Bay Cruise Terminal

• 1901 – Construction of rail and Glebe Island Bridge to improve land connectivity

• 1912 – Construction of the coal fired White Bay Power Station

• 1915 – Works to level Glebe Island began using the sandstone cliffs to create wharfs and reclaim land

to join it with Rozelle

• 1919 – Ships handling grain, timber and soap at White Bay

• 1920s to 1990s – Glebe Island silos constructed and used for handling grain

• 1930s through 1950s – Western area of the White Bay site adapted for bulk chemicals

• 1939 – Coal loader established at head of White Bay

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 27

Figure 4: 1943 with overlay showing the area of the 1967-1969 reclamation and excavation at White

Bay in yellow and the early 1970s reclamation at Glebe Island in green

Source: SIX Maps

• Post WWII – Offloading of imported cars in post war boom at Glebe Island.

• 1965 – Chemical tank farm established at White Bay

• 1967-69 – Excavation (Balmain below Dural Street) and further land reclamation at White Bay to

construct the White Bay Container Terminal at Berths 4, 5 and 6. The terminal covered 27 acres at

completion.

• 1971-1972 reclamation to construct Glebe Island 1 and 2 for the container terminal which was in use

until the early 1990s.

• 1982 – White Bay Berths 5 and 6 converted to roll on roll off cargo handling after previous operator

shifted their container terminal to Botany Bay.

• 1987 to 2004 – P&O subsidiary, Conaust, used the container terminal at White Bay until 1993,

container operations continued under P&O Ports until 2004.

• 1991 – Cement silos constructed and in current use at Glebe Island.

• 1993 – Commencement of lease of Glebe Island silos for import and storage of sugar by Sugar

Australia.

• 1998 – Commencement of lease of Glebe Island silos for import and storage of cement by Cement

Australia.

• 1990s to 2008 – AAT terminal for imported motor vehicles at Glebe Island.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 28

Figure 5: 2002 showing White Bay container terminal and Glebe Island car terminal

Source: GoogleMaps

• Late 1990s – White Bay Noise Reference Committee established.

• 2004 – Import of gypsum commenced at Glebe Island by Gypsum Resources Australia.

• 2004 – White Bay ceased operating a container terminal.

• 2005 – Environment Protection Authority bulk shipping licence renewed to continue handling of

vegetable oils and tallow at White Bay.

• 2006 – Glebe Island/White Bay Community Liaison Group established to communicate about future

development.

• 2006 – Baileys Marine Fuels commenced operations from Berth 6 White Bay.

• 2004 – Miscellaneous port uses commenced.

• 2008 – Unloading of salt ships at Glebe Island commenced, and EPA bulk shipping licence obtained.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 29

Figure 6: 2009 showing White Bay and Glebe Island car import and storage facilities

Source: GoogleMaps

• 2013 – White Bay Cruise Terminal opened.

• 2018 – Review of Environmental Factors for a proposed multi-user facility at Glebe Island

• 2018 – Proposal to relocate Hanson Construction concrete batching plant to Glebe Island

Figure 7: 2016 showing White Bay Cruise Terminal, Glebe Island Convention Centre and Salt Ship

Source: GoogleMaps

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 30

Appendix B

Australian and international port noise criteria

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 31

B.1. Overview of other Australian and international port

noise criteria

Management of ship noise is an increasing global concern. Measurement approaches that are in use

globally or in discussion are mostly L

Aeq

based measures. The criteria are either industrial based criteria or

port specific mitigation triggers. NSW has some of the most stringent industrial noise criteria globally.

Denmark and the United Kingdom have criteria with similar requirements to NSW.

The most comprehensive approach to managing port noise appears to be outlined within a New Zealand

Standard which sets recommended noise criteria for new and existing ports and contains recommended

requirements for inclusion within environmental planning policy. The standard sets expectations for noise

management by the port and for the construction of new noise sensitive receivers or alterations to existing

noise sensitive receivers near the port. This standard has been implemented at a number of New Zealand

ports since 1999 and draws from other New Zealand standards such as for land use planning around

airports.

Table 6: Summary of noise criteria and mitigation trigger levels in use and applied to ports in NSW, and

globally

Port location

Time period

Day, L

Evening, L

Night, L

NSW

The NPfI outlines environmental criteria that are generally applied

outside of the receiver.

Low frequency effects are considered based on whether the noise

is likely to exceed hearing thresholds inside the building based on

a building with lightweight construction. Alternative internal noise

level calculations may be undertaken for other building

constructions.

35dBA to 65dBA ext

35dBA to 55dBA

ext

35dBA to 50dBA ext

dBA-dBC <15dBA trigger with a 2-5dBA

penalty where estimated internal noise

levels exceed estimated hearing

thresholds between (10Hz and 160Hz)

NSW WBCT

mitigation trigger

55dBA

TAS

Tasmanian’s Department of Environment has developed

Environment Protection Policy (Noise) and detailed measurement

procedures. This policy considers noise from ports to be a form of

transportation noise rather than industrial noise. This is outlined in

Part 4 Transport Infrastructure. The second is that Part 4 outlines

that separate transport noise strategy will be developed.

The port corporation, TasPorts, has developed a standard

Environmental Standard – Nuisance Noise. This standard

describes a commitment to undertake baseline noise

assessments and mapping every 5 years and to also revise these

documents when there is a change in use.

Tasmanian’s Environmental Protection Authority policy does not

specify noise criteria for ports.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 32

New Zealand

Standard 6809:1999 Acoustics – Port Noise Management and

Land Use Planning

This standard defines inner and outer noise contour control

boundaries which are used to identify existing residences that

qualify for noise treatment due to noise emission from and

existing or new port. The same control boundaries are also used

to set triggers for the mitigation of new residences encroaching on

the port.

Noise mapping uses 55dBA L

to create an outer control

boundary and 65dBA L

to create an inner control boundary. The

is assessed over 5 consecutive busy days.

Note: a noise level of L

is equivalent to L

Aeq

plus 6dBA for 24/7

noise exposure for 5 days from a vessel emitting a constant level

of noise. This drops to L

Aeq

minus 1 for 1 day of noise exposure.

At its most stringent, the inner and outer control boundaries relate

to 49dBA and 59dBA L

Aeq

respectively for 5 days of continuous

exposure. Or for a 24 hour visit the inner and outer boundaries

would be 56dBA and 66dBA respectively.

These control boundaries are recommended by the standard for

inclusion in planning instruments to manage noise amenity at

sensitive buildings. Properties are considered to be noise affected

at levels above 55dBA L

and within the outer control boundary.

New noise-sensitive buildings, and alterations or additions to

existing buildings in areas within the outer control boundary

should only be permitted where they are adequately noise

insulated so that internal noise levels do not exceed 45dBA L

Construction of new noise sensitive is not recommended buildings

where noise levels are above 65dBA L

unless the building can

be adequately noise insulated.

The criteria for existing ports is 65dBA L

over the long term and

for individual nights, 60dBA L

Aeq

and 85dBA L

Amax

For new ports the port is responsible for providing noise

treatments to existing noise sensitive receivers within the outer

control boundary and it is recommended that planning

instruments are amended to require new sensitive buildings or

alterations to existing buildings to include noise treatments.

Under this standard daytime is defined as from 7am to 10pm and

night time from 10pm to 7am.

Port of Napier,

New Zealand

This port has implemented NZS 6809 with a mitigation trigger for

port noise of 65dBA L

Home owners pay 40% if between 65dBA-68dBA

Port of Nelson,

New Zealand

This port has implemented NZS 6809 with a mitigation trigger of

40 dBA L

(5 day) internal within all living areas,

55dBA L

external is a “Noise Affected Property”

Denmark

Vejledning fra miljøstyrelsen nr.5/1984, ”Ekstern støj fra

virksomheder”.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 33

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency Guide for external

noise from companies identifies external and internal noise

criteria that are applied to vessels at berth.

50ext

45ext

40ext

25dBA int (10-

160Hz)

20dBA int (10-

160Hz)

20dBA int (10-

160Hz)

85dBG int

EU directive

Appears to have resulted in noise mapping but little action against

industrial noise criteria.

It is understood that each EU member state must develop an

‘action plan’ to prioritise noise management. The goals of each

action plan are to (broadly) achieve ‘health’ based goals (as well

as identify and preserve areas of tranquillity). Each EU member

state will apply this in the context of their own national policy

framework.

It can be difficult to identify how the EU directive has been applied

to ports unless in the absence of academic papers or reports in

the public domain.

Finland

Sourced from Government resolution on noise abatement (2007)

Italy

Emission, Class IV

Immission, Class

Italian Regulation on Noise and Zoning of Urban Areas,

Government Decree (1st December 1997)

Criteria are set for emission and immission depending on the

class of the territory. Land near ports is considered Class IV.

Class IV territory - in this class are the areas with high human

activity, high inhabitants density, high road traffic, many

commercial activities; these areas are near main roads, main

railways or ports.

Limits are placed on emission per source and immission from

multiple sources.

Sweden

Vägledning om industri- och annat verksamhetsbuller (2015)

The Swedish EPA’s Guidance on industrial and other operational

noise identifies noise criteria which has been applied to ports. It

also references the Ljudnivåer utomhus vid ny

bostadsbebyggelse which identifies design requirements for new

residential buildings in noise affected areas with noise levels up to

10dBA higher than the industrial criteria.

The Swedish TFK Transport Research Institute (Report June

2013) highlights that complications have arisen with the criteria for

ports and residential development, especially where the criteria

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 34

EPA criteria

are significantly quieter than ambient noise levels from other

nearby sources including road traffic.

United Kingdom

BS 4142: 2019 - Methods for rating and assessing industrial and

commercial sound

Background+5dBA

- note for this 24hr L

Aeq

parameter a 10dBA penalty is added to the night time level

Int – Internal noise level

Ext – external noise level

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 35

Appendix C

Changes in noise levels at Glebe Island and White Bay

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 36

C.1. Changes in port noise

The following figure summarises noise mapping completed in 1994 (based on nine vessels, measured as

part of preparation for the White Bay and Glebe Island Master Plan) and 2019 (based on a typical peak

period with five vessels). The purpose of noise mapping is to provide a broad overview of noise levels in the

precinct. The 2019 figure also shows noise levels using purple and orange contours which are more

representative of typical conditions at the port. Overall noise levels in the noise modelling maps show a

reduction between 1994 and 2019 in most locations as the contours do not extend as far into surrounding

areas.

Figure 8: Port noise levels from 1994 and 2019 (background images from GoogleMaps)

1994 2019

Red Contour – 60dBA Temperature Inversion

Yellow Contour – 55dBA Temperature Inversion

Purple Contour – 60dBA Standard conditions

Orange Contour – 55dBA Standard conditions

The biggest changes in noise are near Pyrmont and Balmain. Noise levels have reduced near Pyrmont since

2009 after new car imports at Glebe Island ceased and also near White Bay berth 4 following the cessation

of container operations.

The overall noise levels appear to reflect the number and type of ships in port. The current noise levels

reflect the fact the port is operating with a historically low number of ship visits and less intensive landside

activities.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 37

C.2. Background noise levels

Background noise levels are established by measurement during a representative time period. Attended

monitoring involves an operator attending the site and taking measurements. This has been completed by

attended noise measurement (involving an operator attending the site and taking measurements) and

subsequently by seven consecutive days of unattended measurement from an installed noise logger.

The main change to background noise levels (excluding the port activities) occurred following the completion

of the ANZAC Bridge in 1995 which led to increased levels. Background noise levels (L

A90

, which is the noise

level is exceeded for 90 per cent of the measurement period) at different locations in the port now correlate

to L

Aeq

traffic noise emission from the bridge when ships are not in port. The figure below shows the

predicted noise levels from ANZAC Bridge.

Figure 9: Daytime traffic noise levels

Figure 10: Night time traffic noise levels

Aeq,traffic

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 38

Influence of the port and wind on background noise levels

The noise levels from individual proponents are sporadic and increase when a ship is in port. This may

cause the background noise levels at other berths to vary significantly throughout the year. This can lead to

different intrusiveness criteria (background + 5dBA) depending on when the logging was completed. An

outcome of this is that a single residence may have different criteria applicable for different operators within

the port and even while utilising the same berth.

Another factor which may change background noise levels by 5dBA is wind direction. Noise levels downwind

of a source may be up to 5dBA higher in winder conditions as the weather directs more noise to the receiver.

This becomes most pronounced at distances greater than 200m. For example, noise levels from ANZAC

Bridge, which dominate the background noise levels in the absence of port activity, may vary by 5dBA at

Balmain depending on wind direction. This can lead to different background plus 5dBA criteria depending on

which days and time of year noise levels were logged.

This effect also applies to background noise levels from existing ships since in most instances the distance

between adjacent receivers near a new proponent and other proponents is greater than 200m. The

orientation of the other vessels (port side or starboard side to the berth) during logging may also change

background noise levels as many vessels emit different amounts of noise in different directions. For

example, a vessel may emit 10dBA more noise out of the port side than the starboard side due to fan

orientations.

The issue of the wind direction’s influence on background noise levels is less pronounced for smaller

industrial precincts or when receivers are close to other industry.

Background noise levels also may vary between nearby residences even when noise from industrial sites

and wind conditions are constant. This may be due to:

• Shielding by buildings, topography and barriers between the main source of noise and the receiver

location.

• Self shielding by an individual building, background noise levels may be different between each façade.

• Localised noise sources such as air conditioning, water features, pumps and rustling foliage from

individual trees in exposed locations such as a port. These sources can cause variations in background

noise level over short distances in an urban area.

These localised variations can make the design and specification of at-receiver treatments complex when

based on exceedance of background plus 5dBA criteria as the background is only known at the

measurement location. The actual background level is not known for each residence over the wider area.

Given that at-receiver treatments are designed to reduce internal noise levels it could be argued whether it is

equitable to base their design on exceedances of an estimated external background noise level. It may be

more equitable to design at-receiver treatments to produce a similar internal noise level from port noise

across a community.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 39

Appendix D

Comparison with criteria for other vehicles

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 40

D.1. Overview

All vehicles used in the transportation of passengers and freight have individual criteria set for the vehicle,

except for vessels. The vehicles with individual noise targets include:

• cars

• trucks

• buses

• aircraft

• rail locomotives

• carriages

These targets ensure that noise levels for each of these vehicles, within their class, are reasonably similar

without noisy outliers. Routine checks are also generally made against the noise targets to ensure the

vehicle is being maintained in good working order that is consistent with the noise target when it was

registered.

The formal noise targets and associated regulations provide a mechanism to gradually reduce noise over

time as technology and expectations change.

Since the vehicles have defined noise targets, the accumulative noise exposure from multiple vehicles using

transport infrastructure may be reliably predicted as the noise emission from each vehicle is within known

bounds. The noise exposure level is then used to assess noise impact and guide the design of noise

mitigation.

Within Australia the exposure levels for road and rail generally use L

Aeq

metrics over time periods of less

than 24 hours. While aircraft use an annual exposure level. These exposure levels consider the noise level

of the vehicle and duration of exposure when present and also the duration of silence in the absence of that

vehicle. An exposure metric is most relevant to evaluate noise impacts where each individual source is only

present for a limited time duration and where it is difficult to estimate when multiple vehicles may be present

at the same time and what combinations of vehicle types may occur at the same time. The exposure metric

allows noise exposure maps to be produced of the infrastructure to inform the community and planning

decisions.

This Port Noise Policy represents the first noise targets set for individual vessels while at berth either in

Australia or internationally. This means that it is problematic to meaningfully model and predict existing and

future noise exposure from a port as the noise emission from many current and future vessels is unknown. It

is also problematic to regulate noise emission from a port when the vessels do not have any design

standards for noise.

An analogous example in transportation to vessels, where noise emission is currently unregulated, is heavy

vehicle engine compression brake noise. The solution proposed by the National Transport Commission is to

set a criterion at a level that can be reasonably achieved. Outlier vehicles that exceed this standard are

known to cause community complaint and also cause an increase in traffic noise exposure.

The following sections outline the individual targets for the various vehicles and the noise exposure criteria

that have been developed for noise mapping and evaluation of noise mitigation.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 41

D.2. Aircraft

Individual aircraft

Australia’s Air Navigation (Aircraft Noise) Regulations 2018 require, under Commonwealth law, that all

aircraft operating in Australia comply with noise standards introduced under the Convention on Civil Aviation.

The standards are set out in the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Environmental Protection

document.

The noise level characteristics of an aircraft are documented as the effective perceived noise in decibels

(EPNdB). The outcome of this regulation is that noise levels from different aircraft of the same classification

are similar and that over time noise levels from aircraft are reduced.

There are currently no equivalent international or domestic standards for vessels.

Airport infrastructure and surrounding development

Ports and airports are both critical pieces of national infrastructure. Australia uses noise maps with 20 year

projections of aircraft noise to implement planning controls for residential development affected by airports.

The noise maps are expressed using a noise exposure metric developed for aircraft noise that is related to

community annoyance. The metric relates intermittent and variable noise from aircraft flyovers to an average

number. These maps are developed for existing and planned airports and are managed by the Federal

Government through the Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities.

An example of a noise map is illustrated in Figure 11 for Sydney Airport for the year 2033. The noise

contours for a new or upgraded airport are used to identify which receivers are eligible for mitigation by the

airport and for new receivers the map is used to identify where residential and commercial developers of new

buildings are required to address noise impacts. The actions to be undertaken within each noise contour

band are defined by Australian Standard - Aircraft noise intrusion, Building siting and construction.

These maps are also produced for proposed airports. An example application is that developers have been

required to design for future noise from Badgery’s Creek Airport (now Western Sydney Airport) for at least

the last 10 years.

Noise associated with aircraft maintenance and other ancillary operations are assessed under NSW

industrial criteria and have a greater opportunity to be mitigated using standard approaches for industrial

sites.

For ports, where berths are regularly empty, the intermittency of noise exposure has some common

elements with aircraft noise. Both ports and airports are also critical pieces of national infrastructure. The

criteria and triggers for the mitigation of aircraft noise are based on fixed values and do not relate to

background L

A90

noise levels.

New Zealand has also recognised the similarity between the management of noise from airports and ports.

This is reflected in NZS:6809 Standard for Port Noise Management and Land Use Planning which

acknowledges NZS 6805:1992 Airport noise management and land use planning. The airport noise standard

was developed seven years before the port standard.

Aircraft noise maps are considered over an annual period which provides enough averaging time to account

for seasonal variations in air travel demand, various aircraft types, different runway configurations due to

various wind conditions and variable flight paths due to weather and safety requirements.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 42

Figure 11: Sydney Airport Australian Noise Exposure Forecast (ANEF) map for 2033

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 43

D.3. Road

Individual vehicles

To provide consistency in noise emission from roads and to also prevent community annoyance from noisy

vehicles, all road worthy vehicles in Australia must comply with the Australian Design Rules. The Australian

Design Rules specify maximum permitted noise levels for light and heavy vehicle classes with some

additional allowances for heavy vehicles of different tonnage.

An outcome of the Australian Design Rules is that road worthy vehicles within each class all have similar

noise levels and emit noise at a level that the community is accustomed to hearing. Transport for NSW

(formerly Roads and Maritime Services) assists EPA with management of heavy vehicle noise through their

heavy vehicle inspection stations.

The noise requirement in the Australian Design Rules is that a vehicle must be quieter than a prescribed

level at a reference distance. The noise requirement from time to time is updated to a more stringent level

which over time acts to reduce the noise from vehicles on Australia’s roads.

There are also actions to reduce noise from heavy vehicles in the NSW Government Long Term Transport

Master Plan (Transport for NSW 2012) and the NSW Government Freight and Ports Strategy (Transport for

NSW 2013). One form of heavy vehicle noise that is referred to in the transport masterplan and freight and

ports strategy is engine compression brake noise which is currently unregulated. The Australian Design

Rules do not discuss engine compression brakes which are not a specific legal requirement.

The National Transport Commission in coordination with Transport for NSW, RMS and other State’s

transport agencies has developed a draft model law and test procedure which may be enacted under

Commonwealth law once trials have been completed. This approach seeks to create an infringement for

uncharacteristically noisy engine compression brakes which according to the Regulatory Impact Statement

reflect 2% of the nation’s heavy vehicle fleet.

There are no equivalent design requirements or management approaches for vessels. This means that there

is a wide range in noise levels between different vessels and ones that are uncharacteristically noisy

generate community complaints.

Road infrastructure

The EPA outlines criteria for noise emission from roads in New South Wales in the Road Noise Policy. The

exposure time and averaging for roads for noise measurement is generally based on 7 days worth of data to

produce exposure averages for the day and night time periods using an L

Aeq

noise descriptor.

Annual traffic volumes are used and converted to an equivalent daily day and night time traffic volume for

noise mapping, the design of roads and the assessment of noise mitigation.

The use of annual traffic volumes ensures that the modelled noise levels are reflective of typical annual

noise exposure rather than being influenced by seasonal effects.

The EPAs road noise policy covers different road types and whether the road is an upgrade or a new road.

How these criteria are to be interpreted and assigned to road projects is outlined by Roads and Maritime

Services’ Noise Criteria Guideline. A summary of the road criteria is presented in Table 7. Typical night time

criteria for roads are similar to measured ship noise levels at the port.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 44

Table 7: NSW road traffic noise criteria

Road category Type of project/land use

Assessment criteria (external)

Day (7am–10pm)

Night (10pm–7am)

Freeway/ arterial/ sub-arterial roads

1. Existing residences affected by noise from new

freeway/arterial/sub-arterial road corridors

Aeq, (15 hour)

Aeq, (9 hour)

2. Existing residences affected by noise from

redevelopment of existing freeway/arterial/sub-arterial

roads

Aeq, (15 hour)

Aeq, (9 hour)

3. Existing residences affected by additional traffic on

existing freeways/arterial/sub-arterial roads generated by

land use developments

Local roads

4. Existing residences affected by noise from new local

road corridors

Aeq, (1 hour)

5. Existing residences affected by noise from

redevelopment of existing local roads

6. Existing residences affected by additional traffic on

existing local roads generated by land use developments

In areas with very low existing traffic noise

7. Existing residences affected by noise from new roads

Aeq, (Period

) 42-55

Aeq, (Period)

42-50

8. Existing residences affected by noise from existing

roads

Aeq, (Period)

42-60

Aeq, (Period)

42-55

Roads and Maritime Services’ Noise Mitigation Guideline outlines the process for managing exceedances of

the criteria by identifying reasonable and feasible noise mitigation. It should be noted that exceedance of

noise does not necessarily result in noise mitigation. Noise mitigation is generally considered reasonable

where noise levels have increased by more than 2dBA and exceed criteria or are 5dBA or more above noise

criteria.

Roads and Maritime Services’ draft At-receiver Noise Treatment Guideline outlines approaches to specify

noise mitigation so that internal noise levels are 20dBA less than the external noise criteria with windows

closed. For the case of road traffic noise, which has a set amenity level, the outcome are internal noise

levels that meet the requirements of Australian Standard 2107 Recommended design sound levels and

reverberation times for building interiors.

The road criteria and triggers for noise mitigation relate to fixed values relative to existing traffic noise and do

not relate to background L

A90

noise levels. This means for a road with given traffic parameters compliance

will be achieved at the same distance at any location. This is not the case for ports where noise emission

and exceedances usually relate to background noise levels.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 45

Noise Abatement Program

RMS has a noise abatement program to reduce noise at residences affected by existing roads that are not

currently the subject of a road upgrade. Around $12 million dollars of funding per annum is available for the

construction of noise barriers and the installation of at-receiver treatment which includes upgraded doors,

windows, seals and fresh air ventilation.

A receiver may be eligible for treatment where external noise levels are equal to or exceed 65dBA L

Aeq,15hr

the daytime or 60dBA L

Aeq 9hr

at night. Note that maximum noise levels are usually much higher than these

thresholds during the passby of an individual vehicle.

Encroaching development

Road transport infrastructure and the occupants of new buildings in NSW are afforded protection through

the ) ISEPP and council planning conditions. The ISEPP establishes controls for roads with an Average

Annual Daily Total (AADT) greater than 20,000. For lower AADT, the responsibility for implementing controls

is through the local council. The ISEPP and council controls place requirements on developers of new

buildings and occupants sensitive to road traffic noise constructed near roads.

For road traffic noise ISEPP states the following:

Clause 102: Development for any of the following purposes that is on land in or adjacent to a road

corridor for a freeway, a tollway or a transit way or any other road with an annual average daily traffic

volume of more than 40,000 vehicles (based on the traffic volume data available on the website of

the RTA) and that the consent authority considers is likely to be adversely affected by road noise or

vibration: building for residential use a place of public worship a hospital an educational

establishment or childcare centre

Clause 103: Any development which involves penetration of the ground to a depth of at least 3m

below ground level (existing) on land that is the road corridor of roads or road projects as specified in

schedule 2 of the SEPP.

For clauses 87 (rail) and 102 (road): If the development is for the purpose of a building for residential

use, the consent authority must be satisfied that appropriate measures will be taken to ensure that

the following L

Aeq

levels are not exceeded:

-35dBA at any time 10pm–7am in any bedroom in the building

-40dBA at any time anywhere else in the building (other than a garage, kitchen, bathroom or

hallway)

The Department of Planning also published a guideline to assist in the design of buildings for road and rail

titled Development Near Rail Corridors and Busy Roads – Interim Guideline (2008).

There are currently no equivalent planning policies or guidelines for the construction of buildings near ports.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 46

D.4. Rail noise

Individual locomotives and wagons

Within the NSW State Government managed rail network there is an environment protection licence which

places requirements on noise emission from individual locomotives. The requirements are relevant where

locomotives are being introduced to the rail network for the first time or have been substantially modified

since operating on the rail network. The noise requirements are set out in Table 8.

Table 8: Environment Protection Licence requirements for locomotives on the State Government managed

rail network

Operating condition

Speed and external location

External noise limit

Low idle with compressor radiator fans

and air conditioning operating at

maximum load occurring at low idle

Stationary, 15 metre contour,

except end positions (front

and rear)

70 dB L

Amax, F, 30s

All other throttle settings under self-load

with compressor, radiator fans and air

conditioners operating

Stationary, 15 metre contour,

except end positions (front

and rear)

87 dB L

Amax, F, 30s

95 dB L

ZMax, F, 30s

Tonality requirements are included on the basis of third octave band analysis.

• No third octave band below 160 Hz to exceed 15 dBA above both adjacent bands

• No third octave band 160 Hz to 400 Hz to exceed 8 dBA above both adjacent bands

• No third octave band above 400 Hz to exceed 5 dBA above both adjacent bands

The overall linear noise level is to also not exceed the overall A-weighted noise level by more than 15 dB

It was reported in the 2017 Australian Acoustics Society conference publication, Beyond Industry vs

Government: A Partnership Approach to Managing Freight Rail Noise in NSW, that approximately 70% of the

locomotives operating on the network meet the licence requirements.

In addition to the environmental protection licences, various pollution reduction programs have been

implemented which are legally binding on the licensee. These have addressed noise from wagons and

specific mechanisms of noise generation.

As with noise from heavy vehicles there are actions for rail noise in the NSW Government Long Term

Transport Master Plan and the NSW Government Freight and Ports Strategy.

There is not currently any environmental protection licence that places performance requirements on

individual vessels in a port. Any environmental protection licences have related to industrial noise criteria at

residences.

Freight Noise Attenuation Program

The Freight Noise Attenuation Program (FNAP) has allocated $50 million over 10 years to provide at-

receiver treatments to residences exposed to high levels of freight rail noise (Transport for NSW, Freight

Noise Attenuation Program 2017). This includes upgraded windows, doors, seals and fresh air ventilation.

The motivation behind the program was that noise was identified as a barrier to improving efficiency of goods

transportation by rail. It was designed to provide relief to residents in the short term, while at-source noise

controls are developed and implemented.

A receiver may be eligible for treatment where external noise levels are equal to or exceed 70dBA L

Aeq 15hr

the daytime or 65dBA L

Aeq 9hr

at night. Note that maximum noise levels are usually much higher than these

thresholds during the passby of an individual locomotive or wagon.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 47

Rail infrastructure

Rail noise, like road noise, has a specific NSW EPA guideline and criteria. This guideline is called the Rail

Infrastructure Noise Guideline (2013) and sets out noise trigger levels (criteria).

Type of development

Noise trigger level dB(A) external

7 am – 10 pm

10 pm – 7 am

New rail line development

60 L

Aeq(15h)

or 80 L

AFmax

55 L

Aeq(9h)

or 80 L

AFmax

Redevelopment of existing rail line

65 L

Aeq(15h)

or 85 L

AFmax

65 L

Aeq(15h)

or 85 L

AFmax

Mitigation is considered where noise level triggers are exceeded for new developments. For the upgrade of

existing rail corridors the consideration of feasible and reasonable mitigation is triggered where L

Aeq

noise

levels exceed criteria and increase by 2dB or more, or existing rail L

Amax

noise levels exceed criteria and

increase by 3dB or more.

Typical noise levels from vessels at receivers are similar to the criteria for new rail lines and quieter than the

noise criteria for the redevelopment of existing rail lines.

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D.5. Vehicles operating within an industrial premise

Vehicles operating on land within an industrial site such as on private railway lines, roads or haul roads, and

airport facilities are commonly assessed against the NPfI. However, these differ from vessels and may be

separated into two categories.

The first category are those vehicles which are not part of that site and operate on public infrastructure and

in public airspace. These vehicles are visitors to the site. All of these vehicles already have individual noise

targets based on the various criteria and regulations previously described in this appendix.

The second category of vehicles are those which are captive and only operate within the industrial site.

Noise emission from these vehicles may be tightly controlled and designed to meet the relevant noise

criteria.

Vessels are different as they do not fit within either of these categories. They currently do not have any

individual noise targets and they are not captive to the site. Operationally they are closer to the first category

but, in the absence of the Port Noise Policy, do not have individual noise targets.

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D.6. Encroaching development

As with roads, rail infrastructure and the amenity of nearby residents is afforded a degree of protection under

the State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) (ISEPP). For rail noise ISEPP states the following:

Clause 85: any development on land that is in or immediately adjacent to a rail corridor, if the

development is: likely to have an adverse effect on rail safety; involves the placing of a metal finish on a

structure and the rail corridor concerned is used by electric trains, or; involves the use of a crane in air

space above any rail corridor.

Clause 86: any development (other than development to which clause 88 of the Infrastructure SEPP

applies) that involves the penetration of the ground to a depth of at least 2m below ground level

(existing) on land that is: within or above a rail corridor; or within 25m (measured horizontally) of a rail

corridor; or within 25m (measured horizontally) of the ground directly above an underground rail corridor

Note: the consent authority must not grant consent without consulting with the rail authority and

obtaining concurrence consistent with clauses 86(2)–(5).

Clause 87: Development for any of the following purposes that is on land that is in or immediately

adjacent to a rail corridor and the consent authority considers development is likely to be adversely

affected by rail noise or vibration: building for residential use a place of public worship a hospital an

educational establishment or childcare centre

For clauses 87 (rail) and 102 (road): If the development is for the purpose of a building for residential

use, the consent authority must be satisfied that appropriate measures will be taken to ensure that the

following LAeq levels are not exceeded:

-35dBA at any time 10pm–7am in any bedroom in the building

-40dBA at any time anywhere else in the building (other than a garage, kitchen, bathroom or hallway)

The Department of Planning’s guideline Development Near Rail Corridors and Busy Roads – Interim

Guideline (2008) provides detailed guidance for the design of buildings.

Again, there are no equivalent planning policies or guidelines for the construction of buildings near ports.

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Appendix E

Factors influencing vessel noise

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E1. Sources of air-borne noise

A vessel is essentially self-sufficient in providing accommodation and a workplace for crew. This requires the

generation of electricity for the accommodation and workplace and also to drive fresh air ventilation of areas

such as habitable spaces, cargo holds and engine rooms. When at berth the main form of continuous noise

is the generators and ventilation systems. Depending on the vessel either the noise from the ventilation

systems or generators may dominate unless the vessel is loading or unloading cargo. On some vessels the

loading or unloading of cargo may increase noise levels from the ship in addition to the cargo operations due

to extraction systems and increased load on the electrical power generators.

E2. Measurement

There are two potential ways to measure vessel noise. The first is to assess the noise emission of the

vessel. This is not an easy task as a commercial ship may be over 200m in length with noise sources over

35m above the berth. There are a large number of parameters to take into account and difficulties in

measurement in a port location. This is not commonly done due to these challenges, however it does allow

accurate noise maps of ship noise to be produced and options to mitigate noise at the source to be

identified.

The second way to measure vessel noise, and the most common, is to take a measurement at a location

chosen to measure environmental compliance. Compliance measurements are useful to evaluate impacts at

a particular location with a certain orientation and elevation relative to the vessel, but they do not directly

allow predictions to be made of noise levels in other locations at different relative orientations and heights.

Full measurement of the vessel noise is uncommon and there are no test procedures or standards that set

out consistent approaches to undertake this assessment. In most instances environmental modelling is

undertaken using data from environmental compliance measurements and applied in a model using some

conservatism to manage risk.

The EU based committee, Noise Exploration Program To Understand Noise Emitted by Seagoing Ships

(NEPTUNES), has developed the Noise Measurement Protocol Moored Ships to improve the consistency of

ship noise measurement. At this point the procedure does not provide an approach for full characterisation

but introduces an approach to ensure measurement approaches are robust and that data provides an

indication of relative noise levels between different vessels.

Detailed discussion of noise measurement and relevant descriptors is contained within Appendix F.

Descriptors

Noise levels from industry and vessels are normally measured in L

Aeq

which is an averaging parameter on a

sound energy basis. The value produced by this averaging parameter includes any steady noise sources

and the effects of shorter-term peaks and troughs. In a port situation and particularly at the recommended

measurement distance of 200m in the NEPTUNES Protocol, extraneous noise sources (natural and urban

sounds) may begin to have a significant influence or even dominate measured noise levels. The distance of

200m is recommended to minimise measurement error for an object as large as a ship.

Extraneous noise can make measurements problematic due to the conflicting requirement of needing larger

distances due to the size of the ship but also needing to be close enough so noise from the vessel is loud

enough to be reliably measured.

Typically, different times within a 24 hour period may be identified where extraneous noise is lower which

may facilitate noise measurement. However, in the case of many cruise ship visits at White Bay Cruise

Terminal, the vessels are rarely berthed during quiet periods at night. Measurements completed by Spoke

Acoustics during the daytime at Grafton Street, Balmain were sometimes reliable for noisier vessels but for

most vessels required measurements to be paused during periods of extraneous noise. However, to obtain

the recommended 5 minutes of data in the NEPTUNES Protocol the duration of the measurement was up to

1 hour and 10 minutes when allowing for periods when the measurement had to be paused to eliminate

extraneous noise.

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Where noise emission from the ship is constant over the measurement period other statistical parameters

may be used to detect the vessel in the presence of extraneous noise. When appropriately selected, these

statistical parameters can identify the quieter periods during the measurement when the ship dominates in

the absence of louder extraneous noise sources. Examples of useful statistical parameters are the minimum

noise level, the lowest 1

percentile, the lowest 5

percentile and the lowest 10

percentile noise levels

which are written as L

Amin

, L

A99

, L

A95

and L

A90

respectively.

In many instances ship noise is only quasi-steady and may have minor fluctuations. In this instance a

correction factor between the percentile parameter and L

Aeq

may be required to ensure that the noise

measurement captures a representative level rather than the minimum noise level produced by the vessel.

The NSW EPA requires the consideration of other modifying factors such as tonality, intermittency and low

frequency for industrial noise sources. Where parameters at a noise sensitive receiver exceed defined

thresholds a penalty of up to 5dBA may be applied for each of these factors. Where there is more than one

factor present the total value of penalties is capped at 10dBA. In contrast criteria in guidelines for other forms

of transportation noise such as road traffic noise, rail noise and aircraft noise receive no penalties even

though annoying characteristics, that may otherwise be subject to a modifying factor, may be present. This is

because the modifying factors are an inherent part of the noise source and already considered in the

transportation specific noise criteria under their respective guidelines and standards.

For vessels specific research has not been completed to identify vessel criteria that includes penalties for

annoying characteristics. Appendix F of this policy identifies that target levels set for vessels should include

consideration of annoying characteristics and that standard approaches used for industrial sources may be

problematic when evaluating low frequency noise. Appendix F outlines that approaches to include low

frequency noise need to be developed. These new approaches may parallel those used in NSW for diesel

locomotives where both A-weighted and Z-weighted noise levels are evaluated.

Directivity

Most noise sources have a degree of directivity which means that more noise is emitted in some directions

compared with other directions. This is a consideration during measurement of noise from a vessel. For

example, the engine/generator exhausts will send more noise in one direction, generally in the direction of

the exhaust vent. The degree of directivity also changes with frequency. The structure of the ship and

configuration of vent openings will influence the directivity of the fan and ventilation noise. Horns will also

normally have a high degree of directivity.

Noise from ventilation systems may be highly directional with significantly more noise directed out one side

of the vessel. A noise reduction of 10dBA was achieved for residences affected from one cargo vessel by

orientating the vessel with the starboard side to residences rather than the port side.

Frequency content

Engine and generator noise is commonly thought of as low frequency and there is always a measurable low

frequency component. The fundamental and low order firing modes of the diesel engine are low frequency

and contribute to the general characteristics. An aspect that is often not considered is that some of the

perceived noise level comes from the mid range to higher frequency noise from the burst of exhaust gas

each time the engine fires at its fundamental. This periodic burst of exhaust gas is heard as a modulation

which can give the perception of low frequency noise.

Fan noise may be low frequency but will generally be broad band depending on the fan speed, the number

of blades and any acoustic treatments fitted into the ducts and vents. Flow noise from air ventilation systems

is also generally broadband. Of note though is that a number of cruise and bulk goods vessels which have

received complaints about low frequency noise all featured noise levels dominated by fans.

Vessels have noise content across a broad range of frequencies which may be in similar frequency bands to

natural and urban extraneous noise. This makes compliance measurement more complex than other forms

of noise emission from mechanical systems as broadband noise measurements are required.

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Modulation

Modulation involves a rapid increase and decrease in noise level repeated periodically. This is inherent in

combustion engine noise from the firing of each cylinder and relates strongly to the perceived power and

sportiness of an engine. Some individual engines may feature this as a low frequency chugging noise.

Modulation also comes into play when there is more than one source with similar frequency and operating

parameters operating within audible distances of each other and especially when they are located near each

other. This can produce interference and reinforcement of the two noise levels, and is perceived as a strong

chugging sound. Noise measurements at Glebe Island have on occasion shown modulation of around 7dBA

once every second when two plumes of heat were evident from the exhaust stacks of a single vessel. The

two plumes indicate that two engines or generators were running.

Factors that may influence measurements

Electrical load

At berth the main source of constant noise from vessels is the onboard generators that produce the

electricity required to supply the vessel. The electrical load on the ship may vary, particularly on cargo

vessels with extraction systems. This means generator noise levels can vary by about 8dBA, based on

measurements at Glebe Island. Cruise ships appear to be steadier in their noise emission which is mostly

likely due to relatively constant HVAC loads supplying accommodation. Cruise ship variation (based on

WBCT measurements) may be around 2dBA to 3dBA depending on the ambient air temperature and

associated HVAC cooling requirements.

Condition

Silencers and on-board conveyor extractions systems can deteriorate with age. Wear and tear may

commonly account for around 10dBA change in noise level between different vessels, and for a single vessel

at different points in time.

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales

Appendix F

Vessel Noise Guideline

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales

Appendix G

Landside Noise Guideline

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales

Appendix H

Noise Standard

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales

Appendix I

Noise Maps

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page i

Glossary

ANZAC Bridge is a major public road comprising of a 8 lane bridge spanning Glebe Island and Johnstons

Bay at Pyrmont, forming part of the Western Distributor leading from the Sydney central business district and

cross city tunnel to the inner west and northern suburbs of Sydney.

Cumulative Noise Level outlines the landside cumulative noise limits and total noise level from the precinct

at representative locations around the port.

Cumulative Noise Limit is the maximum noise level that could be permitted by the port precinct following

successive industrial developments in the port.

Collective Benchmark Noise Level is the overall criteria applied to the total noise level from all landside

operators within the port.

DA means development applications assessed under the Environment and Planning Assessment Act (1979)

(NSW)

EPA means New South Wales Environment Protection Authority.

Feasible and reasonable has the same meaning as defined in the NPfI

Maximum Permissible Noise Level is the component of the cumulative port precinct noise criteria that has

been allocated to an individual berth, facility or tenant.

Noise Descriptors these are noise statistical noise parameters. In general, noise levels in any location vary

continuously and any sound level meter will show this changing decibel level on the display. To make sense

of the range in noise levels that may occur within a standard time period, various statistics are used in

acoustics. These noise descriptors may also have notation which describes the measurement period over

which noise has to be measured and the letter ‘A’ or ‘C’ or ‘Z’ which denotes the weighting filter that was

used.

An A-weighting filter is used to approximate the perceived loudness of noise levels at the moderate

noise levels encountered in the outdoor environment from transportation and industrial noise.

A C-weighting filter was designed to approximate the perceived loudness of noise levels at higher noise

levels than the A-weighting filter.

A Z-weighting filter is unfiltered between 10 Hz and 20kHz and is the same as a linear unfiltered

response in this frequency range. By comparison linear includes all frequencies including those beyond

our hearing range. It is now used instead of linear in noise standards. The negligible differences are

defined so they make little difference in measurement but make it more economic to produce a sound

level meter.

The simplest noise descriptors are the L90, L50 and L10 descriptors. The number in each of these

descriptors indicates the percentage of time that noise levels exceed the indicated value. For example

an LA90 is the noise level that was exceeded 90% of the time, LA50 is the noise level that was

exceeded 50% of the time (also the median) and LA10 is the noise level that was exceeded 10% of the

time, each using an A-weighting filter.

LAmax is the maximum noise level averaged over 1/8 of a second for the purposes of measuring

industrial, vessel, road and rail noise in NSW.

Leq is equivalent sound pressure level minus the stead sound level (dB) that, over a specified period of

time, would produce the same energy equivalence as the fluctuating sound level actually occurring.

LAeq is an Leq which has had the noise levels adjusted with an A-weighted filter (dBA).

LCeq is an Leq which has had the noise levels adjusted with a C-weighted filter (dBC). At these higher

levels the human auditory system is more sensitive to low frequency noise. However for transport and

industrial noise it is also used for moderate noise levels where the greater sensitivity to low frequency

noise is used to help identify how much low frequency noise is present. For example if the LAeq and

Glebe Island & White Bay Port Noise Policy Port Authority of New South Wales | Page ii

LCeq noise levels both measure 54dBA and 54dBC respectively then there is little low frequency noise

present. However if the LCeq noise level is 58dBC then this indicates the presence of some low

frequency noise.

Noise Policy for Industry means the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority Noise Policy for

Industry published in 2017 and available at www.epa.nsw.gov.au.

Planning and Assessment Act means Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW).

Vessel Trigger Noise Level are the noise levels that must be met by a vessel at a berth otherwise the

Vessel Noise Operating Protocol will be triggered and actions potentially taken against the vessel. Trigger

levels are set for each berth and are applied at the worst affected sensitive receiver. Trigger levels may

include a number of noise parameters including L

Aeq

, L

Ceq

and L

Amax

Worst affected noise sensitive receiver is a term that describes the main receiver of interest when

assessing noise under the NSW EPA’s NPfI current at the time of issuing this policy. This may not be the

closest building as the closest building use may not be deemed sensitive under the NSW EPA NPfI.

Furthermore it may not be the closest residence due to factors such as shielding and elevation effects.

However in most instances it is the closest residence to the berth.

Insert document title here Port Authority of New South Wales | Page 3

Port Authority of NSW

PO Box 25

Millers Point NSW 2000

E [email protected]

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