NWSA Engine Emissions Rule Kicks In

As of 1 January 2019, only trucks with a 2007 or newer engine or equipped with a certified retrofit are allowed to enter the international container terminals of The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) under its Clean Truck Program rule.

The Clean Truck Program requirements reduce diesel particulate matter emissions by up to 90% per truck and was established by NWSA, a marine cargo operating partnership of the ports of Tacoma and Seattle, to reduce emissions and improve air quality.

NWSA co-chairs Courtney Gregoire and Don Meyer said: “We appreciate the partnership and hard work of everyone involved in this effort. We believe that together we can improve our local air quality, maintain port efficiency and ensure the gateway remains a place for economic prosperity for our entire region.”

Strict controls

The NWSA will accept trucks equipped with a certified equivalent emission control system retrofit, verified by CARB as a Level 3 device that reduces particulate matter emissions by at least 85%, as an equivalent to a 2007 engine.

LNG, CNG and propane-fuelled trucks qualify under the Clean Truck Program and may enter the ports’ container terminals without meeting the 2007 engine requirement.

The Clean Truck Program is one of several initiatives the NWSA and ports of Seattle and Tacoma have undertaken to improve air quality and the greenhouse gas impact from operations.

A Clean Truck Fund with US$1m of port funds has been established by partnering with a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), that will create a US$5-6m loan fund.

The fund will make market-rate financing available to qualified port drivers, to help them access financing to purchase a 2007 engine or newer truck or equivalent emission control technologies.
Source: Port Strategy