New electric yard truck helps Port of Tacoma demonstrate zero-emission technology

The growing zero-emission fleet at the Port of Tacoma now includes a specialized vehicle that will be used to demonstrate the emerging technology.

This fall, the Port’s maintenance department took delivery of an electric yard truck that can tow containers and equipment and service cranes.

The Orange e-Triever comes with a mobile charging unit that can be moved around the Port as needed.

“This is a way for us to get started and basically test if they’re going to work for our operation,” said Rick Atkinson, the Port’s Director of Equipment Maintenance.

A Washington State Department of Ecology grant sourced from the Volkswagen emissions settlement provided more than $240,000 for the yard truck. The Port provided more than $100,000 in matching funds.

To receive funding for the new electric yard truck, the Port scrapped an older, more polluting diesel model.

The electric yard truck will be used to demonstrate the technology for Port tenants and industry partners, as a way of encouraging the maritime sector’s transition to zero emissions.

“This electric yard truck is an important step toward a green energy future,” said Port of Tacoma Commission President Kristin Ang. “Environmental leadership is a core value at the Port, and we welcome the chance to showcase new options for the industry.”

In 2023, Port of Tacoma Commissioners voted to reduce greenhouse gases under the Port’s direct control to net zero by 2040, accelerating the target from 2050. The Port aims to eliminate emissions from all seaport-related sources by 2050.

Port initiatives include switching heavy cargo handling equipment to renewable fuels and adding electric vehicles to the fleet.

The Port’s containerized cargo operator, The Northwest Seaport Alliance, is working to add shore power to additional shipping terminals.

The new yard truck builds on the momentum from the deployment of six similar vehicles at the NWSA’s South Intermodal Yard in partnership with rail operator RMS.

“We care about our emission goals and we’re willing to test out equipment and make sure it works,” said Rose Arsers, environmental project manager with the Port of Tacoma and NWSA. “It will open up a transformational opportunity.”

The Port and NWSA are participants in the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy, a shared framework for reducing air and climate pollution at our ports, and the Puget Sound Zero-Emission Truck Collaborative.

The Puget Sound Air Emissions Inventory report released in June showed, between 2005 and 2021, an 82% decrease in diesel particulate matter emissions and a 10% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions from port and maritime sources throughout the Puget Sound region.

Click the image to watch a video of the Port Tacoma yard truck