The Port of Seattle has become the first port in the US to require that, independent of State regulations, all homeported cruise ships must be shore power capable and use shore power, with effect from the start of the 2027 cruise season.
The Port of Seattle Commission passed the order for the mandatory shore power requirement on Tuesday (11 June). The port had already made a commitment to shore power as part of its decarbonisation strategy, but Tuesday’s order has turned a goal into a mandatory requirement, and also brought forward the start-date by three years.
Port of Seattle Commissioner Fred Felleman, who sponsored the order, commented: ‘Ensuring all homeported cruise ships utilise shore power by incorporating a requirement in our commercial agreements, the Port continues to demonstrate how we can generate economic opportunities while minimizing our impact on communities and the climate.
‘In passing this order, the Commission turns the Port’s 2030 goal of universal shore power use into a 2027 requirement, which is only possible due to the significant investments made by the cruise industry and the Port on both the ships and shoreside facilities. Marketing such investments should also appeal to the environmental interests of travelers who have chosen to cruise to Alaska.’
Port of Seattle Commission President Hamdi Mohamed added: ‘I proudly co-sponsored this order, which highlights our Commission's steadfast focus on advancing shore power — a critical strategy for slashing emissions in the maritime sector. Given our sustained investments in shore power, we must ensure that homeported vessels plug in when they are berthed at our piers. This order is a robust policy that demonstrates our commitment to accountability and oversight of this sustainability strategy.’
The Port of Seattle has calculated that plugging into shore power reduces diesel emissions from cruise vessels at berth by 80% on average. During the 2023 season, the port authority estimated, cruise ships using shore power avoided emitting 2,700 metric tonnes of greenhouse gases and 0.75 metric tonnes of diesel particulate matter.
The Port of Seattle said that it is finalising the electrification of Pier 66 and plans to connect cruise ships to shore power there this summer. This will make shore power available at all three Seattle cruise berths.
Seattle has been a pioneer on shore power: in 2024, through investments by Carnival Corporation, it became the first homeport in North America to offer shore power at two cruise berths.
Tuesday’s order for mandatory shore power usage by 2027 has been welcomed by climate NGOs. In a statement sent to Bunkerspot yesterday (12 June), Fern Uennatornwaranggoon, Climate Campaign Director for Ports at Pacific Environment, said: ‘We appreciate the leadership shown by the Port of Seattle to move ocean going ships off of fossil fuels by committing to transition 100% of homeported cruise vessels to shore power. And, we call on other ports to follow the leadership of the Port of Seattle to move ports and shipping to a zero-emissions future.’
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