Welcome to Clean Air Quarterly, a newsletter from the Ports of Seattle, Tacoma, and The Northwest Seaport Alliance (the Ports) sharing clean air and climate efforts in our regional gateway. Each issue of the newsletter showcases projects and milestones, features a partner who is making a difference in our region, and highlights upcoming opportunities for engagement including bus tours, commission meetings, webinars, and events!
Last year, the Port of Tacoma made a major shift from traditional diesel to renewable diesel (R99) for its cargo handling equipment. As we work on a variety of alternative strategies to switch to zero-emission alternatives, R99 offers a broadly beneficial interim solution that can be used as a drop-in fuel for existing infrastructure and conventional diesel tanks with no modifications needed.
R99 is made from the same materials as biodiesel but is more refined and burns significantly cleaner than conventional. In addition to other benefits, like lowering maintenance costs, it on average reduces lifecycle greenhouse gasses by 60 to 75% and exhaust diesel particulate matter by 20 to 30%. Renewable diesel is seen as a solution to offer near-term emission reductions until long-term zero-emission solutions are feasible.
Though the price is now comparable to conventional diesel, R99 is relatively new to Washington State and is not yet widely available. Learn more about renewable diesel, including a video that shows how the fuel is used here.
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The NWSA hosted our annual North Star Awards in October, recognizing exceptional partners in our gateway. This year included five award categories, including two new ones, but a long-standing category has been the Environmental Stewardship Award, won this year by PetroCard. PetroCard is the partner supplying R99 to our ports, including the fuel for the Port of Tacoma in their switch from traditional petroleum diesel. For all the reasons listed above, providing access to R99 is a major interim step in emissions reductions across the gateway. You can read about more about the North Star Awards, including past award winners, here.
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Green corridors are formal international partnerships that establish vessel transit routes using low to zero carbon fuels. Ports all over the world are partnering to establish various types of green corridors and pilot the adoption of sustainable fuels in the maritime landscape. Prior to putting a green shipping corridor into action, a feasibility study must be completed to assess all the components that will be needed for a successful corridor and the near-term potential to implement those components. This includes the availability of alternative fuels like green methanol or green ammonia and the associated costs. Successful green corridors will need to have those fuels available near their ports of call. The feasibility studies explore these types of necessities for a functional corridor between two ports, and all the signatories involved commit to exploring availability and production of necessary equipment, fuel, and infrastructure among other considerations. The Ports are proud to be among the first movers in this effort, with three corridors in the initial feasibility study phase.
 The Port of Seattle continues to collaborate with port, cruise line, and NGO partners on the Pacific Northwest to Alaska Green Corridor (PNW2AK). The partnership launched in May 2022, to explore the feasibility of a maritime green corridor aimed at accelerating the deployment of zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emission ships and operations between Alaska, British Columbia, and Washington. Last fall, project partners launched a study to assess the feasibility of four cruise ships fueled by zero-GHG emission green methanol traveling to Alaska by 2032. The feasibility study is led by the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping. It will evaluate green methanol fuel production, fuel delivery and bunkering infrastructure requirements, vessel decarbonization pathways, and passenger willingness to pay for greener cruises. Results are expected later this year. Project partners shared an update on progress and previewed the feasibility study in a webinar held in June 2024. Listen to the recording here.
Roll on Roll off (Ro/Ro) vessels carry cargo that is rolled off instead of being lifted of the vessel by cranes. Examples of common Ro/Ro cargo include vehicles, which are driven off, and farm or construction equipment. This type of business is a significant part of the gateway’s cargo portfolio, with the NWSA moving 337,849 automobiles in 2024, making Ro/Ro vessels a near-term priority for decarbonization. However, the operational complexities of Ro/Ros compared to container vessels present unique challenges in converting them to low or zero emission alternatives.
This is why the NWSA, as a major vehicle importer and the sole port of call for KIAs and Hyundais on the West Coast, has been working with the Ulsan Port Authority, shipping company Wallenius Willhelmsen, and other partners to work on establishing a green shipping corridor in our gateway. The first phase of the Ro/Ro feasibility study is expected to be complete by late April, with the full study planned to be completed by the end of 2025. The Ro/Ro green shipping corridor feasibility study is being led by the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Centre for Zero Carbon Shipping.
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With over 3.3 million TEUs moved through our gateway in 2024, up 12.3% over 2023 volumes, moving goods via containers continues to be a dominating form of business for the NWSA. To that end the NWSA has also partnered with the Busan Port Authority in South Korea to establish a container ship green corridor. Currently, the NWSA is working with the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and Swire Shipping to explore zero-emission fuel pathways and bunkering feasibility in the Tacoma-Seattle gateway. The U.S. feasibility study for the container green corridor between the NWSA and the Port of Busan is underway and planned to be completed by the end of 2025.
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Both the NWSA and the Port of Seattle have been awarded Clean Ports Planning Grants. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) announced that the Port of Seattle would receive a $3 million planning grant to complete a vessel activity and maritime fuel inventory, a harbor vessel decarbonization feasibility study, and sustainable maritime fuels transition analysis and engage with industry and near-port communities.
The NWSA was awarded $3 million from the US EPA Clean Ports Program Climate and Air Quality Planning grant program to fund shovel-ready shore power design and zero emission infrastructure planning at Washington United Terminal (WUT) and zero emission infrastructure planning at East Blair One (EB-1) Terminal – both in the Tacoma Harbor.
These awards set up the Ports to complete the important first step to any project, planning and design. Projects like the maritime fuels transition analysis require significant coordination and input from vast number of industry partners, and these funds grant us the needed resources to do this work.
The NWSA was awarded $2.6 million as part of the WSDOT Ports Electrification Grant Program to purchase zero-emission cargo handling equipment (CHE) at East Blair One Terminal in Tacoma. These CHE deployments will be supported by the zero-emission infrastructure planning work that will be conducted using funds from the EPA Clean Ports Program Planning grant awarded to the NWSA. This will include the purchasing of battery-electric forklifts and infrastructure.
Additionally, the Port of Seattle received a $1 million grant from this program to add a second shore power connection at Pier 66, bringing the Port closer to our 2027 goal of 100% cruise connections for homeported ships.
The WSDOT Ports Electrification Grant Program was funded by Washington’s Climate Commitment Act. The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available here.
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The federal government has published an Interagency Action Plan for Maritime Energy and Emission Innovation. This is consistent with/supportive of our work to implement the NW Ports Clean Air Strategy. While our projects aren’t mentioned specifically, the Green Shipping Challenge (of which our US-Korea Green Corridors Project is a part), the need for sustainable maritime fuels production/use, and other related initiatives are featured.
A national strategy can be very important not only in terms of supporting our work in our gateway, but also in moving toward a more level playing field across US ports re: clean energy goals and investments. Shared planning can also create efficiency and clarity as other entities begin engaging in the clean energy space.
TOTE Maritime Alaska has proudly served Alaska as an ocean carrier since 1975, offering 50 years of dedicated service to customers, the environment, and local communities. With twice-weekly routes between Tacoma, Washington, and Anchorage, Alaska transporting various goods, from refrigerated cargo to heavy equipment and personal vehicles.
Alaska has unique needs, and TOTE’s specialized roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) cargo ships are designed for the Alaskan trade. TOTE has also been a leading partner in decarbonization, and though Terminal 5 was the first international cargo terminal in Washington State to have shore power with its inaugural plug-in in 2023, TOTE was the first terminal across the NWSA gateway to install shore power at their berths all the way back 2010. This is just the surface of their longstanding commitment to the environment and engagement in programs that improve both air and water quality. Learn more about the extent of their programs here.
Recently, TOTE Maritime Alaska was awarded Washington State’s Department of Ecology’s "Charge Where You Are" Grant which aims to expand electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. It provides funding to install Level 2 and DC fast chargers in locations where EV charging options are limited, supporting the state's goals for equitable access to clean transportation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The current vision for the project is to install 6 level 2 chargers across the facility. The chargers will be used for charging employee vehicles, future electric fleet vehicles and customer EV’s.
There are challenges, including finding the correct locations to work with level 2 charging, as higher voltages are required to effectively charge EVs, which in turn limits their placement. But by taking advantage of the high density of electrical infrastructure already present to plug and play wherever possible, this project can provide charging across the facility and reduce costs.
Department of Ecology, TOTE Maritime Alaska, Port of Tacoma, Tacoma Power, and a local electric contractor are all at work to attempt to complete the project within the span of a year.
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