Ports for People
Marine decarbonization is the path forward.
The Problem
According to the Department of Environmental Quality, the Portland region faces elevated levels of numerous toxic pollutants. One of the highest-risk pollutants is diesel particulate matter (DPM), which is emitted largely from on-road and nonroad diesel engines such as marine sources.
Research by Portland State University has shown that practices like requiring Electrification of Commercial Marine Hoteling Power, such as California Air Resources Board (CARB) At Berth rule, would achieve significant reductions in modeled concentrations in the northwest industrial area of the Portland Metro region. The images below from PSU research demonstrates the reductions that could be achieved.
Tons Per Year
%
Mobile Diesel Particulate Emissions
Emissions from diesel-powered mobile sources such as ships are a climate and public health threat. In Oregon, commercial marine vessels are responsible for 119 tons per year of diesel particulate emissions, representing 5 percent of mobile diesel particulate emissions in the state.
Changes in Diesel Particulate Matter concentration due to commercial electrification of ships of at berth.
The Solution: Electrification At Berth
Oregon can reduce maritime pollution by adopting emission standards for vessels at berth, which ensures that the most polluting ships such as cargo vessels and cruise ships reduce in-port emissions such as by plugging into shore power and using electricity from the grid rather than dirty oil-based fuel. California and Washington are ahead of Oregon in adopting shore power, but before we can move forward, we need more information on maritime activity and vessel emissions in Oregon state, as well as opportunities to reduce emissions.
The Benefits of Electrification
Pollution Reduction
According to a 2022 study from Portland State University, electrification of shore power while commercial marine vessels are hoteling at major ports along the Willamette and Columbia Rivers would reduce annual DPM emissions from 7.19 tons per year to 5.1 tons per year. This scenario would lead to a significant reduction in pollution in the northwest industrial area of the Portland metropolitan region, as well as in the Willamette River along the northern downtown area.
Public Health Impacts
In California, where the At Berth Rule has already been adopted, the regulation is expected to save 237 lives, yield $2.31 billion in public health benefits, and reduce NOx emissions by 17,500 tons and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions by 356,000 metric tons between 2021 and 2032.
Local Spotlight
Vigor Industrial
Vigor signed a Good Neighbor agreement with many contingents, one of them being that all vessels at their Swan Island facility must plug into electric power within 36 hours of arriving at berth.
2,045 is the average number of metric tons of CO2 emissions reduced each month at Swan Island due to vessel shore power.
An estimate of the total number of metric tons of CO2 emissions reduced at Swan Island since Vigor instituted vessel shore power in 2016.
Despite needing more information before we adopt emission standards for ships at berth, Oregon does have a local success story with Vigor Industrial, located on Swan Island in Portland. In 2016, Vigor signed a Good Neighbor Agreement with the local neighborhood association and advocacy group Neighbors for Clean Air. Through the Good Neighbor Agreement, a key facet of Vigor’s permit renewal is a requirement that all ships docked in their shipyard turn off their engines and plug into electric power within 36 hours of docking. This is a home-grown example of successful maritime electrification efforts.
Next Steps
Learn More
Pursue a study bill in the Oregon legislature to gain a better understanding of current maritime activity and vessel emissions in the state. This information is essential to understanding marine and port vessel economic development contributions and related environmental and public health concerns statewide and among port communities and workers.
Establish At Berth Rules
Ensure state and port stakeholders incorporate vessel emission reduction strategies into their existing programs. This includes the Department of Environmental Quality’s updated diesel strategy and the Port of Portland’s climate and air quality planning grant from the U.S. EPA Clean Ports Program.
Stay Engaged
Interested in learning more about Oregon’s Ports for People campaign and how you can get involved? Contact Mackenzie Springer at mackenzie@neighborsforcleanair.org.
