Seattle, Port of Seattle agreement will implement shore power across all berths

(The Center Square) – The Seattle City Council has unanimously approved a two-year agreement with the Port of Seattle to implement shore power into Terminal 46 and Pier 66 to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

With the city council’s Tuesday approval of the agreement, Seattle will become one of the first cruise ports in the U.S. to make shore power available at all of its berths.

Currently shore power is available at Pier 91 on the Seattle waterfront for two cruise ships. That was installed in 2009.

Shore power is the process of supplying electrical power to a ship, boat or other vessel while it's docked at a port.

The deal allows cruise ships to hook up to local electrical grids and turn off their diesel-powered engines while at berth.

According to the city, nearly 25% of cruise ship emissions in the Puget Sound airshed occurred while ships were at berth.

Data from the city found that shore power would enable connected ships to reduce their individual diesel emissions by 80% and carbon dioxide emissions by 66% while at berth.

The necessary infrastructure will be paid for by the Port of Seattle with a total budget of $44 million. The city is adding an additional $3.5 million from Seattle’s Maritime Transportation Electrification Program.

According to legislation , the majority of the construction work has been completed to enable shore power for the 2024 cruise ship season.

“Once online this cruise season, shore power at Pier 66 will enable cruise ships to switch from using their engines to City Light’s low carbon electricity – reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 4,500 metric tons per year,” Port of Seattle Commissioner Fred Felleman said in a news release .

Felleman added that a recent order from the Port of Seattle Commission to mandate shore power use by all home ported vessels in 2027 will allow the port to continue balancing the economic benefits of tourism to the region, while also protecting the environment.

The Seattle City Council’s approval on Tuesday also authorizes the city to execute a 30-year operations agreement between Seattle City Light and the Port of Seattle.