The maritime industry works together to keep global trade and national economies moving. With increasing urgency, supply chain stakeholders are being called to take action to reduce their environmental impact.
Since the inception of the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA), we’ve learned that working together creates greater outcomes for our ports and the communities we serve. To tackle the industry’s greatest challenges — whether supply chain disruptions or reducing maritime emissions — we will need strong partnerships and innovative solutions that support the future of the global economy and environment.
The severity of the challenges facing the logistics industry has exacerbated its impact on the environment. Now more than ever, supply chains need to be reimagined to allow capacity to be scaled in response to unforeseen events while safeguarding the environment.
After a nearly $500 million modernization, the newly expanded Terminal 5 in Seattle will open for business in the first quarter of 2022, bringing desperately needed new terminal capacity and berth space to the US West Coast.
Beyond increasing cargo capacity, this investment will reduce the NWSA’s environmental footprint by giving vessels the ability to plug into a hydro-powered electrical grid instead of burning fossil fuel while idling at berth. The port partnered with the state of Washington to fund this installation and continues to collaborate across organizations and governments to identify critical funding for environmentally sustainable projects.
As we navigate today’s pressures, economic expansion and environmental stewardship can occur simultaneously. Through collaboration, we can build world-class terminals that strengthen our supply chain, increase cargo throughput, support jobs, and facilitate trade opportunities while also achieving our environmental priorities.