PORT OF SEATTLE
MEMORANDUM
COMMISSION AGENDA
Item No.
7c
Date of Meeting
May 5, 2009
DATE: May 4, 2009
TO: Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer
FROM: Charles Sheldon, Seaport Managing Director
SUBJECT: The Green Gateway –
Carbon Footprint Study for Asia to North America Intermodal Trade
The purpose of this staff briefing is to present the “Carbon Footprint Study for Asia to North
America Intermodal Trade”. This analysis determined tons carbon dioxide equivalent (CO
2
e)
per TEU from Asia to points in U.S. mainland. The Asia origin ports considered are Shanghai,
Hong Kong, and Singapore. The U.S. ports considered are Prince Rupert, Seattle, Oakland, Los
Angeles/Long Beach, Houston, Savannah, Norfolk, and New York/New Jersey through via
intermodal rail to the destination cities of Memphis, Chicago, and Columbus.
This analysis indicates that the West Coast ports collectively offer a lower carbon footprint
throughout the entire continental United States, with the Pacific Northwest ports offering the
lowest carbon footprint to 180,000,000 consumers in the northern half of the United States.
