The lowest emission route to ship cargo from Asia to the U.S. Midwest is through the Puget Sound, according to the results of a study by Herbert Engineering released in May 2009.
Commissioned by the Port of Seattle, the study analyzed carbon footprints of trade routes between Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai, and the U.S. distribution hubs of Chicago, Columbus and Memphis.
This study is the latest step taken by the Puget Sound ports to quantify and reduce air emissions from maritime sources.
In 2004, the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma partnered on the first maritime air emissions inventory for the Puget Sound region. The Puget Sound Maritime Air Emissions Inventory provided solid, scientific data on the nature and extent of air emissions from maritime sources in the Puget Sound and Georgia Basin Airshed.
The Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy - a joint effort of the Port of Seattle, Port of Tacoma and Port Metro Vancouver - used the data from the inventory as a starting point for establishing emissions reductions benchmarks. The Strategy establishes specific goals and dates for reducing emissions from ships, cargo-handling equipment and trucks that move cargo to and from the ports.
The goal of all of these efforts is to make our gateway more efficient and competitive, improve air quality and reduce costs.