How will we reach zero?

See how our programs are driving change

CLEAN TRUCKS

CLEAN VESSELS

CLEAN CARGO HANDLING

RENEWABLE & FUTURE FUELS

POLICY &
GRANTS

OTHER KEY INITIATIVES

Clean Trucks

NWSA’s long-standing Clean Truck Program has invested more than $15 million in matching funds to encourage conversion to cleaner trucks

The Clean Truck Program has scrapped more than 450 old diesel trucks and replaced them with modern, lower-emission models.

All trucks serving NWSA international and domestic container terminals must have an active RFID tag and a 2007 or newer model engine (with few exceptions). This regulation reduces diesel particulate matter emissions by up to 90% per truck.

  • The NWSA is supporting projects to bring ZE drayage trucks and charging infrastructure to the gateway through the Zero Emission Drayage Incentive Program
  • The program’s first phase launched in 2025 with $6.24 million in Climate Commitment Act funding, with 20–25 ZE drayage trucks to be deployed in 2026.
  • Zeem Solutions is developing the first NWSA-backed truck charging depot near SeaTac, WA with charging and overnight parking for ZE Class 8 (and medium-duty) trucks serving NWSA terminals, supporting multiple fleets in this transition.
  • The NWSA ZE Drayage Technical Assistance Program will connect trucking companies and independent owner-operators with resources, fleet planning and infrastructure guidance, and incentive funding support.
  • The Collaborative launched in 2023 with support from WSDOT and the NWSA. More than 25 members—including freight industry representatives, near-port community groups, tribes, utilities, and truck drivers—met regularly to assess key needs for an equitable and effective ZE drayage truck transition.
  • This work culminated in the Decarbonizing Drayage Roadmap, featuring nearly 70 recommendations to increase ZE truck availability, expand charging and fueling infrastructure across the gateway, and support the drayage community throughout the transition.
  • The Collaborative is now pivoting to implementation of the Roadmap recommendations and workforce development
View Our Progress

Clean Vessels

Ocean Going Vessels (OGVs) are the largest contributor to seaport emissions. Reducing OGV emissions is one of the most impactful strategies for lowering port-related climate and air emissions.

  • Shore power enables ocean going vessels to connect to the landside electrical grid and turn off their auxiliary diesel engines while at berth, significantly reducing air pollution during the connection period.
  • All three Port of Seattle cruise berths now offer shore power. Two berths at Terminal 91 have had shore power connections since 2009 – the first port in the world to offer two shore power connections for cruise – and the port completed shore power installation at Pier 66 in 2024.
  • In June 2024, the Port of Seattle Commission passed a Shore Power Order to require all homeport cruise ships to be shore power-equipped and plug in by 2027.
  • Shore power enables ocean going vessels to utilize grid electricity for its onboard energy needs while at berth, instead of burning marine fuel oil. NWSA is working towards the goal of installing shore power at all major international container terminals by 2030.
  • Shore power infrastructure installation is complete at all berths at Terminal 5 in Seattle and Husky Terminal in Tacoma, with construction currently underway for two berths at Terminal 18. Design work is in progress at Washington United Terminal, with planning advancing for Pierce County Terminal and the third berth at Terminal 18.
  • For domestic cargo, TOTE provides weekly domestic cargo services to Alaska using shore power at its Tacoma terminal.
  • Green Corridors are specified shipping routes where zero or near-zero emission solutions can be demonstrated and supported through multi-stakeholder collaboration. The NWSA and Port of Seattle are both conducting feasibility studies for cruise and cargo green corridors, respectively, which is a necessary step before implementation. Take a look at the learn more about the different green corridor projects. 

GREEN CORRIDOR PROJECTS

View Our Progress

Clean Cargo Handling

Cargo handling equipment (CHE) moves goods at marine terminals between ships, railcars, and trucks. Examples include straddle carriers, rubber-tired gantry cranes, reach stackers, forklifts, and more.

  • The current standard for new diesel CHE is Tier 4, which reduces diesel particulate matter (DPM) emissions by nearly 90% compared to older equipment.
  • New and amended lease agreements now include a Tier 4 CHE requirement to accelerate the transition to cleaner equipment.
  • The Ports are deploying their own ZE equipment and helping marine terminal operators connect to incentive funding.
  • ZE CHE deployments in Tacoma include six ZE yard tractors at the South Intermodal Yard, one ZE yard tractor with a mobile charging unit, and one ZE forklift at the East Blair One (EB‑1) Terminal.
  • The NWSA is also planning to deploy at least three more pieces of ZE equipment and associated charging infrastructure at EB1, with funding provided through the Washington State Climate Commitment Act.
  • The NWSA plans to launch a “Zero Emission Accelerator Program” to expand incentive funding and identify near‑term ZE deployment opportunities for tenants.
  • NWSA is conducting ZE terminal planning at all major international container terminals to identify infrastructure needs required to transition entire CHE fleets to ZE by 2050.
  • Based on terminal planning, key near-term electrical infrastructure projects will be identified that will enable at-scale adoption of ZE technology. This will enable the NWSA and partners to pursue funding for and then implement these infrastructure projects.
View Our Progress

Renewable & Future Fuels

Port operations currently rely heavily on fossil fuels, resulting in significant GHG and criteria pollutant emissions. Some sectors- such as drayage trucks and CHE- can transition to battery-electric technologies, while others depend on global progress towards alternative low or zero-emission fuels. The ports aim to support a smooth transition to future maritime fuels while advancing near-term opportunities for renewable fuel use.

  • Renewable diesel (RD) is a drop-in fuel that reduces GHG and NOx emissions from diesel engines. With the Washington Clean Fuel Standard improving RD availability and affordability, RD provides a near-term emission reduction strategy for drayage trucks, CHE, rail, and harbor craft. RD is not considered a substitute for ZE technologies, but rather, a way to reduce emissions from existing technology in parallel with that transition.
  • The NWSA and Port of Tacoma converted all Port-owned equipment to RD use in 2024, significantly reducing Scope 1 GHG emissions. Several maritime terminal operators and supply chain partners- including SSA, Husky, and Lineage Logistics- have also transitioned to RD.
  • The NWSA and Port of Seattle are conducting landscape assessments of RD availability, costs, and long-term supply opportunities.
  • The Powering Maritime Innovation (PMI) project—led by the Port of Seattle with the NWSA and Port of Tacoma, and funded through a $3 million EPA Clean Ports Program grant—is exploring how next‑generation maritime fuels can be deployed in the Puget Sound gateway.
  • Through 2027, the project will conduct studies to inform a new maritime fuels roadmap, including fuel demand projections, storage and bunkering feasibility, vessel electrification opportunities, safety considerations, and workforce needs.
  • Community and industry engagement is a core component of the effort, with planned opportunities for stakeholders to review findings and help shape strategies for a safe, equitable transition to next generation fuels.
  • The NWSA, Port of Seattle, and Port of Tacoma are working to develop a joint Sustainable Maritime Fuels Strategy for advancing the availability and affordability of SMFs in the Seattle-Tacoma gateway.
  • As alternative fuel options continue to evolve, the Ports can play a key role in supporting research, demonstration projects, and market advancement to help scale these technologies for commercial production and use.
  • The NWSA, Port of Seattle, and Port of Tacoma joined the Sustainable Maritime Fuels Collaborative to accelerate the availability, affordability, and deployment of low and zero emission fuels, vessels, and technologies across the Pacific Northwest. The Collaborative includes stakeholders from across industry, research institutions, government agencies, tribes, and community groups to propel Washington’s maritime industry towards a zero emission future.
  • One example of this collaboration in action is a 2024 RMI study that lays out a roadmap for alternative fuel adoption in Washington.
View Our Progress

Policy & Grants

Achieving our zero-emissions goals  requires strong support from federal, state, and local governments through policy changes and grant funding.  Engaging policymakers is a key strategy in raising awareness and ensuring that funds are dedicated to these major projects.

Several Federal funding sources supporting port decarbonization efforts include:

  • Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP): PIDP is a grant program administered by the maritime division within the US Department of Transportation, also known as MARAD.  The grant program supports terminal redevelopment and projects to improve freight efficiency at ports.
  • Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA): DERA is a grant program administered by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with the directive of lowering diesel emissions, and has supported our clean truck program and ZE CHE projects.

The Washington state legislature and other agency grant funding supports the ports with:

  • Port electrification grants, including support for Terminal 18 shore power.
  • ZE truck incentive programs, including CCA funding support for the NWSA Zero Emission Drayage Incentive Program.
  • Washington Zero-Emission Incentive Program (WAZIP), a new incentive program administered by WASHDOT to administer funding for medium and heavy-duty on- and off-road ZE deployments.
  • VW settlement funding, administered by the Department of Ecology, has been used to support scrapping of old diesel trucks and deployments of ZE CHE.
  • Charge Where You Are funding has been used to support installation of EV chargers across the port for light-duty fleet EVs

The Ports collaborate closely with Seattle City Light and Tacoma Public Utilities to align electrification planning and ensure the grid can support future ZE operations. The Ports also coordinate with regional entities such as the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) to support broader decarbonization planning.

  • The Seattle Waterfront Clean Energy Strategy (SWCES) outlines a long-term plan to electrify key waterfront assets—including cruise terminals, cargo facilities, and shoreside operations—while ensuring the electrical grid can reliably support growing demand. The strategy identifies near term and long term infrastructure needs, opportunities for renewable energy integration, and pathways to support future ZE vessel, cargo, and ground equipment operations along the Seattle waterfront.
  • The South Harbor Electrification Roadmap (SHERM) provides a detailed framework for electrifying terminals and other facilities in the Tacoma Harbor. The roadmap evaluates projected energy demand, identifies necessary utility upgrades, and outlines phased infrastructure investments needed to support ZE cargo handling equipment, drayage trucks, vessels, and other port operations. The roadmap is expected to guide coordinated planning between the Ports, Tacoma Public Utilities, and terminal operators through 2050.
View Our Progress

Other Key Initiatives

In addition to the above, several other key efforts and initiatives play a critical role in advancing the Clean Air Strategy 

Protecting community health—especially in near port neighborhoods—is a core driver of the Ports’ clean air program. Working closely with community groups, the ports are supporting the green transition by supporting local events targeted toward clean air and energy.

Join the Ports’ community newsletters:

  • This includes emissions sources directly under Port authority control—such as fleet vehicles, vessels, office buildings, and support facilities—and efforts to reduce emissions from daily operations.
  • Harborcraft—including tugboats, support vessels, commercial fishing boats, and recreational vessels—represent a smaller share of emissions but are part of the overall ZE transition. Electric and alternative fuel harbor craft are becoming more available, and the Ports are working with waterway partners to help facilitate future adoption.
  • The Ports collaborate with local and Class I rail partners on transitioning locomotives and yard equipment to ZE technologies and modernizing rail infrastructure to support lower emission operations.
  • One of our key partners, Tacoma Rail, is working to reduce emissions through 2 zero-emission locomotive purchases and 7 locomotive engine re-powers.
View Our Progress

What guides the actions we take?

Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy

IMPLEMENTATION PLANS

After collaborating for more than a decade, the participating ports recognize the value of setting shared objectives while also maintaining flexibility in how objectives will be met at each port where emissions profiles and operations differ.

Port-specific implementation plans will enable ports to identify, prioritize and focus resources on actions in a way that is strategic and relevant to their lines of business, policy contexts, and the regions where they operate. Implementation plans will demonstrate how each participating port plans to advance the 2020 NWPCAS vision and objectives, with a focus on near-term actions.

Click below to see each organization’s Implementation plan

Close Search Window
↑