Northwest Seaport Alliance Joins Green Certification Program

The Northwest Seaport Alliance, the port development authority for the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, announced Monday that it has joined the Green Marine program, North America's largest voluntary environmental certification program for the maritime industry. 

Green Marine supports its participants' efforts to reduce environmental impact, including such measures as controlling GHG emissions, improving spill prevention, and treating stormwater.

"Green Marine aims at continuously improving the environmental performance of its participants," said Green Marine Executive Director David Bolduc. "We are . . . delighted to see how the Pacific Northwest marine industry is responding positively to the Green Marine certification, especially since our U.S. office is located in Seattle."

The program's ports certification guide requires participants to self-evaluate their efforts in seven categories each year, including:

1) Aquatic invasive species management
2) Greenhouse gases and air pollutants
3) Spill prevention 
4) Dry bulk handling and storage 
5) Community impacts 
6) Environmental leadership 
7) Waste management

The program requires independent verification of each facility's self-evaluation every two years, and a commitment to publication of the results. In their reporting, "our participants –ship owners, ports, Seaway corporations, terminals and shipyards – have to demonstrate year-over-year improvement in measurable ways to maintain their Green Marine certification," the organization says. 

Other prominent ports and maritime facility members include Canaveral Port Authority, Port Everglades, Port of New Orleans, the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, and the Quebec Port Authority.