TOTE plugs into shore power at the Port of Tacoma

Sparked by an EPA grant worth nearly US$1.5m, two TOTE cargo ships will now plug into electrical power and shut down diesel engines while docked during weekly calls at their Tacoma terminal.

The US$2.7m shore power project will reduce diesel and greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% during TOTE’s 100 ship calls each year in Tacoma, equal to around 1.9 tons of diesel particulates and 1,360 tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

TOTE, a private shipping company that serves the Alaska trade, contributed about US$1.2m to retrofit the two ships to accommodate shore power connections and add some of the terminal infrastructure. The Port of Tacoma provided environmental permitting, grant administration and project management.