The Port of Seattle announced today that the Bell Street Cruise Terminal at Pier 66 is now shore power enabled. Thanks to a $44 million investment, all three of the Port’s cruise berths are equipped with shore power. The technology allows cruise ships to plug into the Seattle City Light grid and turn off their fuel-based engines, resulting in a significant reduction in air emissions. Seattle is one of the first cruise ports to offer shore power for simultaneous use at all its multiple berths.
“Over the six-month cruise season, we've welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors to Seattle to enjoy the restaurants and small businesses of the city, explore our transformed Waterfront, and make the most of their time here. As we continue to revitalize Downtown, this tourism contributes to needed street activation, pre-pandemic hotel occupancy levels, and millions of dollars in revenue for our Downtown and urban core businesses,” said Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. “We applaud the Port of Seattle on another great season and look forward to welcoming even more guests in the years to come.”
“With the installation of shore power at Pier 66, I’m proud to say Seattle is one of the only ports globally able to simultaneously power three cruise ships with low-carbon electricity,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner Fred Felleman. “Enabling three cruise ships to turn off their generators while at dock has the potential to eliminate three tons of particulates and 10,000 tons of greenhouse gases over a full cruise season, which benefits the climate, communities, and economy.”
“The Port of Seattle would like to thank the partners that made this cruise season one of our best ever, on and off the water, all of that with clean hydro power,” said Port of Seattle Executive Director Stephen P. Metruck. “We especially thank the City of Seattle and Seattle City Light who are helping us electrify the working waterfront and create a more sustainable future for our region. Additionally, the Port thanks our partners in the cruise industry for the significant investments they are making in more sustainable ships and shoreside facilities that are critical to all of our environmental strategies. These partnerships and constant efforts to do more are what makes Seattle one of the most environmentally innovative and successful cruise homeports in the world.”
“CLIA applauds the advancement of onshore power in Seattle as a critical component in the cruise industry’s pursuit of net-zero emissions,” said Sally Andrews, VP, Strategic Communications & Public Affairs for Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). “By 2028, 74% of global cruise capacity is forecast to be equipped for onshore power use, yet less than 3% of the world’s cruise ports offer this. We are grateful to the Port of Seattle for their leadership and collaboration as we celebrate this milestone.”
“As we look ahead to what is likely to be another record cruise season in 2025, ILWU Local 19 is pleased that we will be starting the season with all three berths electrified and a clear message that we can balance the economic opportunities of tourism and travel while also prioritizing industry-leading solutions to sustainability at our facilities,” said Mark Elverston, President of ILWU Local 19. “Cruise seasons in Seattle mean work for the working men and women of our waterfront, which provides a living wage for our members across our region.”
“Electrifying Pier 66 delivers on City Light’s strategic vision to create a clean energy future for the region. We are proud be working with such amazing partners like the Port of Seattle to make shore power connections a reality for along Seattle’s bustling waterfront and ports,” said Dawn Lindell, Seattle City Light General Manager and CEO. “By connecting ships into our clean, carbon-neutral power, we are reducing harmful emissions from diesel engines and improving air quality for the people who visit, work, and live in Seattle.”
Shore power means clean electricity can power cruise ships while they are docked in Seattle, improving air quality and reducing emissions for the community and across the Puget Sound region. On average, shore power enables each connected ship to reduce its diesel emissions by 80% and CO2 emissions by 66% while at berth. Earlier this year, the Port of Seattle led the way to become the first port in the nation to require shore power usage by homeported cruise vessels, starting in the 2027 cruise season.
2024 Cruise Season Wraps Up
Before the end of the season, Norwegian Bliss was the first ship plugged into shore power at Pier 66. Seattle now concludes the 2024 Alaska cruise season on October 28 with Norwegian Jewel at Pier 66. This season was another robust year with 276 vessel calls and 1.75 million revenue passengers exploring the region.
The 2025 cruise season, the Port’s first full season with all three cruise berths shore power capable, will include the Queen Elizabeth, a Cunard Line vessel offering ten 11-day Alaska itineraries. The preliminary schedule for 2025 includes 299 vessel calls with an expected 1.9 million revenue passengers.
Contact
Peter McGraw | Maritime Media Officer
[email protected]
