MSC Brunella is the first vessel to plug-in into Northwest Seaport Alliance’s (NWSA) Terminal 5 shore power infrastructure.
On 10 April, the commissioning phase of the Terminal’s shore power project component was finalised as the nearly 9,000 TEU vessel successfully utilised clean energy from the City of Seattle’s electrical grid to power the vessel while at berth.
Terminal 5 has shore power capability, making this inaugural plug-in a significant environmental milestone in the Pacific Northwest.
Shore power infrastructure reduces diesel particulate matter and greenhouse gas emissions by allowing vessels to turn off their diesel engines and ‘plug-in’ to the local power grid while being worked at the dock.
It’s worth noting that Seattle City Light has been a critical collaborator throughout this project, according to NWSA, a marine cargo operating partnership of the ports of Seattle and Tacoma.
Moreover, NWSA managing members, commissioners of the Port of Tacoma and Port of Seattle, aim to make significant investments in installing shore power, with Husky Terminal in the South Harbor and Terminal 18 in the North Harbor as the next projects to be completed.
In addition to needing landside infrastructure at marine terminals, a ship must have special equipment installed to accept shore power.
“Terminal 5 is an important asset to our region’s economy, adding critical capacity to the west coast that increases cargo movement through our gateway, and now, reduces the environmental impact of port operations on our workers and surrounding near-port neighborhoods,” stated NWSA co-chair Deanna Keller.
