Your morning coffee, the clothes you wear and the phone in your hand all have something in common: they travelled across land and sea, moving through an expansive network of ports to reach you. But these ports are more than gateways for goods; they hold the key to catalysing climate action in the shipping industry, and their time to act is now.
Operating at the intersection of global trade and local economies, ports are hubs of energy infrastructure and multimodal transportation. They power facilities, equipment, ships, trucks and trains to ensure the seamless flow of goods, energy and resources. Given their critical role in trade and their strategic locations near major cities and coastal communities, ports are uniquely positioned to reduce emissions, improve public health, foster sustainable development and strengthen community resilience.
Mitigation: transitioning to a zero-emission future
Decarbonising ports and shipping is a complex challenge requiring a fully integrated approach. This includes electrifying equipment, trucks and vessels, transitioning to sustainable fuels, increasing renewable energy and boosting efficiency with advanced technologies. For this transition to succeed, ports must collaborate with government, industry and communities to shape policies, secure funding and deploy innovative solutions. These efforts will improve public health and contribute to strong, sustainable communities.
One of the most effective decarbonisation solutions is shore power. By connecting to the electric grid, ships can reduce engine use while in port, significantly reducing both air pollutants and greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions. To accelerate adoption, California and the European Union (EU) have adopted regulations mandating shore power, but scaling this infrastructure takes time. A 2023 study by the ICCT estimates that the EU will need to triple or quadruple shore-power systems by 2030 to meet these mandates. While policies like these set clear priorities for investment and infrastructure, it is essential to accelerate adoption with incentives to ensure that development happens at the speed and scale necessary to achieve climate goals.
In Washington State, the Port of Seattle is taking a local approach, working with its city and utility partners to advance shore power. First, the Port added terms to its commercial agreements with cruise lines, requiring all cruise ships that home-port in Seattle to use shore power beginning in 2027. The City of Seattle then passed legislation permitting the local utility to construct and provide shore power to the port. By leveraging its commercial power and collaborating with its municipal partners, the Port of Seattle shows how ports can make climate action good business.
But these massive ships need fuel, too. As fuelling stations, or bunkering hubs, ports play a crucial role in the transition to sustainable maritime fuels. They have a responsibility to ensure these fuels can be safely produced, stored and bunkered. Singapore, the world’s largest bunkering hub, is leading this transition by advancing clean fuels, recently completing its first simultaneous methanol bunkering and cargo operation.
For both electrification and sustainable maritime fuels, we need a lot more clean electricity on the grid. To answer the call, California’s Port of Long Beach is embarking on an ambitious project to build the country’s largest offshore-wind staging and assembly facility. By leveraging the port’s unique location, where massive wind turbines can be moved from shore to sea, Long Beach’s Pier Wind project is leading efforts to reinvent ports’ role in our energy system.
Adaptation and resilience: building infrastructure that can withstand the storm
While decarbonising the sector is imperative to bring shipping within internationally agreed limits, ports must also be working to adapt to a climate that is already changing. Often located on open coasts or in low-lying deltas, ports are highly vulnerable to sea level rise and severe weather events.
In the Netherlands, the Port of Rotterdam is a global leader in adaptation, implementing a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. Their strategy employs various defensive structures tailored to address specific risks, such as sea-level rise, storm surges and flooding, across different parts of the city.
The Port of San Francisco, California, is building a strong defence against climate impacts while ensuring that the community is engaged and invested in its long-term resilience. The Port’s Waterfront Resilience Program (WRP) addresses San Francisco’s unique risk portfolio (seismic risks and rising sea levels) by reinforcing seawalls and enhancing flood protection, but also incorporates community green spaces and cultural art. These projects foster shared responsibility for community resilience.
Call to action
As these leaders in the field demonstrate, ports have the power and responsibility to shape a sustainable future. At High Ambition Climate Collective (HACC), we are advancing this mission through research, education and capacity-building—equipping port policymakers to take decisive climate action. Whether already leading or just beginning, every port has a role to play. Now is the time to come together, turn ambition into action and ensure that ports are not just gateways for goods, but catalysts for climate action.
Views or opinions expressed are those of the author and any individuals cited, and do not necessarily reflect those of Economist Impact or any other member of The Economist Group.