The ports of Seattle, Tacoma and Metro Vancouver, Canada
have approved a clean air strategy in which they aim to cut diesel emissions by
75 percent per ton of cargo moved by 2015 and 80 percent by 2020.
The goals are part of the 2013 Northwest Ports Clean Air
Strategy Update, which the ports adopted Dec. 12. The update is to the 2007
Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy, a ground-breaking partnership between the
three ports and five regulatory agencies that was aided by cooperation from
customers, tenants, shipping lines and environmental organizations. The 2013 update
commits the groups to work together through 2020.
In addition to diesel emission reductions, the ports have
set goals to cut greenhouse gases by 10 percent by 2015 and 15 percent by 2020,
per ton of cargo moved. All reductions would be based on a 2005 baseline.
The 2013 update was built on the results of the 2011 Puget
Sound Maritime Air Emissions Inventory, which found maritime-related air
pollution has decreased since 2005, due in part to significant investments by
the maritime industry and government agencies in cleaner technology, cleaner
fuels and more efficient systems of operation.
To develop and implement the 2007 strategy and this 2013
strategy update, the three ports partnered with various Pacific Northwest
governmental agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Washington State Department of Ecology and Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.
The full Clean Air Strategy update can be seen at http://www.portseattle.org/Environmental/Air/Seaport-Air-Quality/Documents/NWCleanAirUpdate_2013_FINAL.PDF.
