The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) is excited to announce the completion of shore power at Husky Terminal in Tacoma. June 15^th the terminal welcomed Hapag-Lloyd’s Kuala Lumpur Express as its inaugural shore power plug-in. The successful plug-in is a significant step in the NWSA’s Northwest Clean Ports Clean Air Strategy drive towards emissions reductions throughout our gateway.

The Kuala Lumpur Express is a part of the new Gemini Cooperation in partnership with Maersk, and the nearly 9,000 TEU Hapag-Lloyd vessel was the first to plug in after completion of the commissioning phase. This inaugural plug-in also makes Husky Terminal the second international cargo terminal in Washington State to be shore power capable, following the completion of Terminal 5’s system in 2023. This is a significant step towards the NWSA’s ambitious goal of providing shore power at all international terminals by 2030.

“At the Seaport Alliance we take our job of stewardship seriously, for both the economic and environmental prosperity of the region” said NWSA Co-Chair and Port of Tacoma Commission President John McCarthy. “Shore power is a key component of our strategy to phase out all maritime emissions by 2050 or sooner, and completion of this project is a major milestone for our gateway.”

The NWSA is guided by the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy, a multi-port commitment to collectively improve regional air quality and reduce GHG emissions. In addition to the overarching goal to eliminate all maritime emissions by 2050 or sooner, the NWSA has the interim goal of installing shore power at all international terminals by 2030. When at berth vessels produce both diesel particulate matter and greenhouse gas emissions, impacting the air quality and health of our near port communities. Shore power, which allows vessels to turn off their diesel engines and ‘plug-in’ to the local power grid while being worked, is the primary strategy for eliminating these emissions. The next terminals to be equipped with this infrastructure will be Terminal 18 in Seattle and Washington United Terminal in Tacoma. TOTE, a domestic terminal in Tacoma, has been shore power capable since 2010.

“The success of these projects is completely dependent on collaboration and support between many partners. We are extremely grateful for our partners in this project, Husky Terminal, Hapag-Lloyd, Tacoma Public Utilities, International Longshore Workers Union (ILWU) Local 22, and the funding support from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Washington State Legislature” said NWSA Co-Chair and Port of Seattle Commission President Toshiko Hasegawa. “There is no way to reach these milestones alone. We are fortunate to have partners who share our values and commitment to a sustainable future.”

“Husky Terminal prioritizes sustainable operations as a core value,” said Husky Terminal President Dustin Stoker. “We are proud to now have shore power to offer our customers. This system means not only cleaner air for our community and neighbors, but for the health and safety of our workers.”

“Local 22 is proud to play a role in the transition to a clean energy economy,” said ILWU Local 22 President Mike Kisak. “This transition to clean energy alternatives, including shore power systems, will and has produced expanded opportunities for our workforce. Our brothers and sisters are necessary to it’s success, and proud to be such an integral part of this aspect of the maritime future.”

Shore power is an expensive infrastructural investment, and this project was supported by contributions from several different grant programs. This project received direct support from the Washington State Legislature through a grant award from the VW Settlement Agreement Funds. Funding support also came from the EPA’s Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) and the Trans-Alta Coal Transition grant programs. Between the three grants this project benefited from just over 3 million in State and Federal funds.

These investments are also core to NWSA’s commitment to operational excellence and our mission of being Best-in-Class. Across the maritime industry and supply chain our partners are recognizing the operational imperative of the clean energy transition. More than half of the vessels that now call the NWSA are shore power capable, with carriers continuing to transition their fleets to benefit from these investments in port infrastructure. The NWSA looks forward to continuing these investments as a key part of both our Best-in-Class mission and dedication to environmental stewardship.

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