The Northwest Seaport Alliance welcomes largest ship to Tacoma Harbor

The Maersk Alette arrived at Husky Terminal in Tacoma on September 4^th marking the largest vessel to call The Northwest Seaport Alliance’s (NWSA) South Harbor. In addition to boasting a capacity of 16,592 TEU’s, the Alette is the first dual-fuel vessel capable of sailing on green methanol to have called the gateway.

"We were glad to welcome the Maersk Alette to our gateway," said Kristin Ang, Port of Tacoma Commission President and Co-Chair of The Northwest Seaport Alliance. " We offer our congratulations to Maersk, Nike, the Ulsan Port Authority, and all our industry partners who are leading toward cleaner fuel alternatives. This vessel represents a tangible demonstration of the progress being made in developing and deploying sustainable shipping technologies.”

“The arrival of the Alette has demonstrated our gateway’s capacity and world-class infrastructure to handle the largest vessels in the transpacific trade,” said Hamdi Mohamed, Port of Seattle Commission President and NWSA Co-Chair. “Husky Terminal was modernized in 2018 and will soon be receiving terminal efficiency upgrades through a federal grant as part of the NWSA’s ongoing commitment to providing best-in-class facilities. We are proud that these investments are enabling our gateway to meet the needs of maritime industry today and long into the future.”

The Alette is the fifth vessel in Maersk's fleet capable of operating on green methanol and is part of the global transition towards decarbonizing shipping. Green methanol, variants of which can be produced from biomass or renewable energy sources such as wind or solar power, can significantly reduce shippers’ carbon footprints.

Through the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy, the NWSA is committed to doing its part to phase out seaport emissions by 2050 or sooner, and to accelerate the global movement toward low- and zero-carbon shipping. The NWSA is actively working to create a more sustainable and efficient maritime gateway through initiatives such as:

• The US-Korea Green Corridors Project where we are exploring the feasibility of establishing low- or zero-carbon cargo corridors between the NWSA gateway and Korean ports in Busan and Ulsan.
• The shore power infrastructure program equipping all international cargo terminals with shore power allowing ships to turn off their engines while docked. Husky Terminal shore power is currently under construction and will be operational by next year.
• The Port Readiness Enhancement Program (PREP) where we are enhancing our gateway’s capacity to receive and serve ships using cleaner, more sustainable fuels such as green methanol.

The arrival of the Alette highlights the importance of collaboration between industry leaders, policymakers, and technology innovators to drive sustainable change. The NWSA is committed to continuing its efforts to support the transition to a low-carbon maritime future.

The vessel bunkered the alternative fuel in South Korea before transiting to Los Angeles, CA, then to Tacoma, WA.