Our Pacific coast ports are gateways that link goods transported by sea to and from our North American markets. By linking international shipping to road and rail networks in Canada and the United States, our ports provide significant benefits for port cities and their entire regions, contributing billions of dollars to our local and national economies.  The cruise industry continues to grow along the Pacific coast, supporting jobs and providing significant economic benefits.

While each port has developed knowledge on environmental issues and initiatives specific to its setting, cooperation and collaboration on environmental protection at our jurisdictions' ports to reduce greenhouse gas and other emissions, and to protect ocean resources around ports, will deliver significant benefits to the entire region.

Regional Best Practices:

• West coast port authorities and state and provincial governments worked together to support the North American Emission Control Area (ECA) and require the use of cleaner-burning fuels in ocean-going vessels. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) completed the ECA designation process in March of 2010; the new emissions standards are enforceable starting August 2012, with full implementation by 2016.   By 2020, the use of these cleaner fuels will reduce sulfur oxide emissions by 86%, fine particulate matter (PM) by 74%, and nitrogen oxides by 23% from what they would have been without the ECA.  The west coast port authorities and state and provincial governments will work to expand the ECA to cover the coastal areas of Mexico. 
• The West Coast Collaborative is a public-private partnership working to reduce diesel emissions along the West coast of the United States. The collaborative is the first pilot of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Clean Diesel Campaign. Port projects supported by the West Coast Collaborative include shore power installations for cruise ships and cargo ships, locomotive engine replacements and idle reduction, cargo handling equipment engine replacements and exhaust retrofits, and harbor vessel engine replacements.
• The Puget Sound Air Forum, including Puget Sound ports, Clean Air agencies, EPA and Washington State Department of Ecology and other stakeholders, was formed in 2005 to collaborate on a Puget Sound maritime diesel emissions inventory (PSEI).  The 2005 PSEI provided a baseline for maritime emissions and basis for emission reduction projects and policies.  A PSEI update representing emissions in calendar year 2011 will be available in June 2012.
• The Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy (NWPCAS) is a partnership among Port Metro Vancouver, the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, Washington State Department of Ecology, Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Environment Canada to reduce port-related diesel air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in the Georgia Basin-Puget Sound air-shed via voluntary and collaborative means.  Implementation and annual reporting of progress to reach the NWPCAS diesel emission reduction goals for 2010 and 2015 began in 2008.  Three annual implementation reports have been published and  various emission reduction initiatives, such as at-berth-clean (ABC) fuels  and clean truck programs, are in place.  The NWPCAS will be updated in 2012 to set 2020 goals that further the emission reduction goals set in the original NWPCAS.

• Our Ports also participate in Clean Marina Washington and implement water quality improvements, such as storm-water low-impact development treatment, to protect the aquatic environment.