Cruise ships represent 18 percent of all maritime-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Seattle, according to the most recent Puget Sound Maritime Air Emissions Inventory (2016). Marine cargo ships represent 35 percent of maritime-related GHG emissions, grain ships represent only 2 percent, and other maritime activities including drayage and provisioning trucks, equipment that handles marine and cruise cargo, rail locomotives, and tug and assist, commercial fishing, and recreational vessels represent the remaining 45 percent.
Data source: 2016 Puget Sound Maritime Air Emissions Inventory
These estimates are limited to:
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emissions associated with the energy to power the ship during a cruise ship’s journey through the Puget Sound airshed, which extends north to the Canadian border, west and to mouth of the Straits of Juan de Fuca and east to the Cascade mountain range
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emissions associated with powering onboard operations like cleaning, loading, and provisioning while the ship is at berth at Port of Seattle cruise terminals
