Air
When it comes to air and climate pollution, the traditional frames of reference—ports, political boundaries, waterways—aren't meaningful. We understand the importance of working with others to improve and protect our region's air quality.
Our approach to air quality and climate solutions—as with other environmental issues—focuses on leadership, not merely compliance.
Port of Tacoma Clean Air Implementation Plan
The 2026 - 2030 Implementation Plan was adopted by the Port of Tacoma Commission Nov. 18, 2025.
Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy
The Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy (Strategy) is a collaborative effort between the Port of Tacoma, Port of Seattle, The Northwest Seaport Alliance, and Vancouver Fraser Port Authority in British Columbia to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from shipping and port operations in the ports' shared airshed.
First adopted in 2008, the Strategy was the first international strategy of its kind in the Port community. The original Strategy sought to encourage environmental action above competition and created a means for the four Northwest ports to work collectively and voluntarily to reduce air pollution. In 2020, the Northwest ports renewed the Strategy with a new vision to phase out emissions from seaport-related activities by 2050, supporting cleaner air for our local communities and fulfilling our shared responsibility to help limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Clean vehicles and equipment
Port-owned vehicles and equipment make up the majority of the Port’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions, which the Port has committed to phasing out by 2040 per its 2023 GHG Resolution. As such, these emission sources represent an important part of the Port’s near-term emissions reduction strategy.
Since 2021, the Port has reduced these emissions by adding one battery-electric yard tractor and eleven battery-electric vehicles to its fleet. The Port has also made progress to install vehicle and equipment charging stations at its buildings and facilities, with new EV charging stations installed at the Port Administration Building and new charging stations planned for the new Maritime Center and the Port Maintenance Building.
In addition, the Port of Tacoma has transitioned all Port-owned diesel equipment to renewable diesel. Renewable diesel is a drop-in fuel that reduces lifecycle emissions (from production to combustion) of diesel-powered equipment by up to 60%.
Clean buildings and facilities
Port-owned buildings and facilities are another significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To reduce and ultimately eliminate these emissions by 2040 or sooner, the Port is working to convert all lighting at its port-operated buildings and facilities to Light Emitting Diode (LED) fixtures. In addition, the Port received a $2.4 million grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology to fund sustainable building design features at the Maritime Center, including solar power generation and backup energy storage.
Partnership with The Northwest Seaport Alliance
The Port of Tacoma partners with The Northwest Seaport Alliance, a partnership between the ports of Tacoma and Seattle to manage our marine cargo business and facilities, to reduce Scope 3 emissions in our airshed through various activities:
Accelerating the transition to zero-emission drayage trucking through the Zero-Emission Drayage Program and implementing diesel emission reductions through our long-standing Clean Truck Program.
Implementing the Shore Power Program, including the recent completion of Husky Terminal shore power, which allows ships to plug in and turn off diesel engines while at berth.
Supporting the transition to sustainable maritime fuels, for example through the US-Korea Green Shipping Corridor Project.
Investing in zero-emission cargo-handling equipment, including the recent purchase of a battery-electric forklift at East Blair One (EB-1) terminal.
Conducting a five-year region-wide inventory to measure and track maritime-related air pollutant and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the Puget Sound Air Emissions Inventory.
Conducting energy planning assessments such as the South Harbor Electrification Roadmap (SHERM) to inform future infrastructure and grid upgrades needed to support port electrification efforts.
Supporting the transition to renewable diesel among port operating partners across cargo-handling equipment, drayage, locomotive, and tug sectors.