Template revised April 12, 2018.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No.
11a
BRIEFING ITEM
Date of Meeting
February 13, 2024
DATE: February 2, 2024
TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director
FROM: Melissa Parks, Government Relations Policy Analyst
SUBJECT: 2024 International Policy Priorities
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Port of Seattle Commissioners, executive team members, and internal subject-matter experts are
engaging internationally to build relationships, share the opportunities and challenges of
operating maritime and aviation gateways, and advocate in support of Port goals that are beyond
our direct authority. This draft memo establishes the Port’s international policy priorities,
highlighting work underway and emerging opportunities, to enhance transparency and guide our
engagement for 2024.
Driven by the Century Agenda, the Port is working to achieve ambitious goals that maintain Puget
Sound as a premier international gateway for commerce and tourism that benefits the region
while ensuring equity, sustainability, and quality of life for our region’s residents. While the Port
can upgrade and modify our facilities, we have limited control over the commercial aircraft and
maritime vessels that utilize our gateway. We need international standards to fully achieve these
goals and others.
The global climate crisis and energy transition are both significant, complex challenges as well as
opportunities. Knowing what is ahead for the future of our industries will create opportunities
for innovative business development and sustainability initiatives. As a leader in sustainability
the Port can utilize our local action and investments to demonstrate global leadership and
influence international outcomes.
Success of these international priorities will be through highlighting the Port’s continued local
investments as well as engagement with international ports, the United States Government,
industry associations, private industry, and non-governmental organizations.
Following Commission feedback on these draft policy priorities, staff will revise and bring final
proposed international priorities for full Commission approval.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 11a Page 2 of 4
Meeting Date: February 13, 2024
Template revised September 22, 2016.
2024 INTERNATIONAL POLICY PRIORITIES
Promote Transparency, Collaboration, and Consistency
Encourage transparency and broad engagement in developing globally consistent standards
and policies for aviation and maritime industries to promote public awareness, industry
alignment, and certainty for planning and effective implementation. Coordinate with The
Northwest Seaport Alliance on international maritime engagement.
Promote collaboration, share best practices and challenges, and foster relationships to develop
comprehensive solutions to complex global issues and help achieve our goals by engaging in
key international forums such as the International Civilian Aviation Organization (ICAO),
International Maritime Organization (IMO), United Nations Climate Conference of Parties; with
international partners including our sister ports, particularly, Busan, Kobe, Rotterdam, and
Singapore; and industry associations and non-government organizations including Airports
Council International, International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH), and Getting to Zero
Coalition.
Promote Equity, Environmental Justice, and Sustainable Development
Promote the adoption of principles and values that commit organizations to equity,
environmental justice, and sustainable development, as well as committing to engage
communities most impacted by industries associated with port operations.
Advocate for policies, programs, projects, and investments that advance equity and support
environmental and economic justice and implements the United Nations’ Sustainable
Development Goals. Solutions need to be co-developed with and center the experiences and
voices of the communities most impacted.
Addressing Climate Change and Reducing Air Emissions
Support robust and immediate climate action, policies, and initiatives, like the Paris Agreement
and Clydebank Declaration, that demonstrate ambitious, feasible, and equitable approaches to
mitigate climate changing factors and prepare for climate impacts.
Encourage international organizations to incorporate environmental justice principles into its
climate policy that are people-centered, developed with impacted communities, and seeks
mitigation as well as better quality of life for communities who are experiencing the burden of
climate change.
Support decision making based on science, quantitative and qualitative data, and that
considers lived experiences; progress reporting; and information sharing on global climate
impacts and mitigation and adaptation strategies relevant to the Port, King County, or the Pacific
Northwest.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 11a Page 3 of 4
Meeting Date: February 13, 2024
Template revised September 22, 2016.
Monitor developments of standards for safe handling and storage of emerging alternative
aviation and maritime fuels, such as hydrogen and methanol, at the ICAO and IMO. Provide input
on issues that could impact worker and community safety and airport and seaport operations.
Support ICAO implementation of policy instruments, including the Carbon Offsetting and
Reduction Scheme (CORSIA), to achieve net zero aviation emissions by 2050 and encourage
investments that accelerate the uptake and supply of Sustainable Aviation Fuel.
(1) Monitor developments related to emissions and other aviation environmental
impacts within the ICAO Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP)
that assists the ICAO Council in formulating new policies and adopting new
Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) related to emissions, and more
generally to aviation environmental impact.
Support the IMO’s development of policies to reduce climate and air pollution emissions from
commercial shipping by 2050 including:
(1) Global maritime fuel standard that reduces the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions
in fuel over time and meets sustainability criteria.
(2) Economic measures that create a level playing field globally and incentivizes the
supply and use of low and zero emission maritime fuels.
(3) Just Transition policy that works to equitably distribute gains, and reduces the risk to,
developing countries in the transition to low and zero emission fuels.
Encourage knowledge sharing between Green Shipping Corridors and their international
partners to accelerate supply and uptake of low and zero greenhouse gas emission fuels and
maximize participation by ports and ships. Engage the U.S federal government and other
international governing bodies in these conversations.
Contribute to efforts coordinated by IAPH to standardize shore power connections and power
distribution differences to increase interoperability between ports and ships and increase
connection rates.
Monitor development of international standards for offshore wind and other alternative
energy developments; and encourage collaboration in standards between governments and
leading international developers to reduce barriers to deployment. Support the development of
offshore wind and alternative energy supply chains that prioritize low greenhouse gas emissions,
economic development, and social equity.
Reducing Aviation and Maritime Noise
Monitor and support developments to reduce noise from commercial aircraft by the ICAO
Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP), including through aircraft technology
and airport operational best practices.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 11a Page 4 of 4
Meeting Date: February 13, 2024
Template revised September 22, 2016.
Support the IMO’s voluntary guidelines to reduce underwater noise from ships and share
experiences and outcomes from the Port of Seattle’s efforts to help inform uptake and use of the
guidelines.
Improving Water Quality/Marine Health
Monitor the IMO’s development of standards for the discharge of wash water from exhaust
gas cleaning systems and the use of risk and impact assessments to inform decisions about
restrictions or limits to wash water discharge.
Encourage awareness of, and actions to reduce, ocean acidification impacts to global marine
ecosystems, communities, and associated industries. Share Port research on local, nature-based
carbon remediation including kelp and eelgrass enhancement, with international partners
through the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification.
Combat and Reduce Human Trafficking
Monitor and encourage efforts at ICAO, the IMO, and other international organizations we
engage with to increase awareness of and combat human trafficking in aviation and maritime
industries and share the Port’s experience with implementing the national awareness campaign.
Highlight the Port’s public-private partnership with local organizations to combat human
trafficking.
Support Sustainable Tourism
Support the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s best practices that balance the
environmental, social, cultural, and economic aspects of tourism and share the Port’s, and our
Washington tourism partners’, sustainable and inclusive tourism best practices.
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING
(1) Presentation slides
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
None.
