Announcement from the Northwest Seaport Alliance.

TACOMA – The South Intermodal Yard (SIM) in Tacoma will be the first location for all-electric yard handling equipment in the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) gateway. The SIM electric truck project represents a $2.2 million investment to purchase equipment and install infrastructure supported by funding from Tacoma Power, Rail Management Services and DERA grant funds.

“The NWSA is very pleased to welcome the first all-electric yard handling equipment to Tacoma,” said Don Meyer, NWSA Co-Chairman and Chairman of the Tacoma Harbor Commission. “This delivers on our commitment to reduce marine emissions through the North West Ports Air Quality Strategy while increasing operational efficiencies and demonstrating the effectiveness of zero emissions equipment in our gateway. .”

“Partnerships like this move our community toward a clean energy future,” said Clay Norris, Chief Energy Officer for Tacoma Power. “Transportation is the number one polluter in our region, and we can help combat this by transitioning vehicle fueling to our clean, renewable hydroelectric power.

In 2020, the NWSA received $732,000 in Diesel Reduction Act (DERA) grants that supported the purchase of six electric yard trucks by Rail Management Services. The project was also supported by Tacoma Power’s Hostler Freight and Material Handling Equipment and Truck Program with $132,000 for project infrastructure components.

Each electric yard truck will be used to move containers on chassis to and from container stacks and railcars. Rail Management Services has experience successfully deploying zero-emission freight handling equipment in other locations across the country.

Over the life of the equipment and with grant funds included, the costs of purchasing and operating electric trucks will approximate those of current models of diesel freight equipment, making this investment a strategic environmental benefit for the surrounding port areas.

The SIM Electric Yard Truck project is expected to reduce GHG and diesel particulate emissions in the NWSA Gateway by approximately 259 tonnes per year and 1.41 tonnes per year, respectively. Electricity is not only cleaner than traditional diesel equipment, but has operational advantages such as being less expensive to operate and requiring less maintenance due to fewer moving parts.