Maritime Alliance Launches Clean Air Initiative

“This project will provide us all with a better understanding of the sources of marine emissions, so we can determine the most effective strategies for ensuring healthy air throughout the region,” said Dennis McLerran, Executive Director of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.

Led by the Port of Seattle, the Puget Sound Marine Emissions Inventory is the first in a series of collaborative actions to support voluntary emissions reductions from maritime activities. The inventory will collect baseline information on a number of air pollutants and their sources within the greater Puget Sound area and the waters north to the border with Canada.

“It’s exciting to see ports, the ferry system, maritime businesses, regulators and environmental groups come together voluntarily to seek solutions that can work for us all,” said Port of Seattle Commission President Bob Edwards. “This initiative reflects our mutual goals of protecting the environment, creating a sound economy and keeping commerce flowing through our ports.”

Data collection will focus primarily on diesel-powered maritime sources, such as ships, cargo-handling equipment, locomotives, and trucks.

"The air emissions study is an important step in the Port of Tacoma’s goal of being a good neighbor through lessening the impacts of air emissions related to port activities,” said Ted Bottiger, president of the Port of Tacoma Commission. “This inventory provides a baseline that will be a foundation for subsequent air quality initiatives.”

• The Port of Seattle’s maintenance department has switched to ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel.
• The Port of Tacoma expects to reduce emissions of particulate matter by 20 percent through the installation of new control technologies on 30 straddle carriers.
• Washington State Ferries has switched its entire fleet to low sulfur diesel fuel, and is pilot-testing bio-diesel on one of its routes.
• Container vessel owners are transitioning to larger, more efficient vessels with lower emission propulsion engines, thereby reducing emissions per each container moved.
• Terminal operators are modifying or renewing equipment and increasing terminal efficiencies to improve cargo flow and reduce truck time and emissions.

This initiative is intended to complement other voluntary diesel emission reduction efforts underway in the Puget Sound region. The Diesel Solutions project, for example, has involved voluntary diesel emission reductions from regional transit agencies, municipal and solid waste fleets, airport construction equipment, and school buses across Washington State. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has determined that diesel emissions reduction is one of the most important air quality improvements that can be made toward ensuring healthy air and better public health.

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