Template revised April 12, 2018.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM Item No. 11b
BRIEFING ITEM Date of Meeting January 27, 2026
DATE: January 16, 2026
TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director
FROM: Melissa Parks, Government Relations Manager, Maritime Sustainability
SUBJECT: 2026 Draft International Policy Agenda
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 memo updates the Port’s international policy priorities to guide and
inform our engagement for 2026.
DETAIL
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. The Port of
Seattle also strives to be a welcoming environment for our communities, visitors, and businesses.
While the Port can modernize our facilities, set policies, and make investments in line with our
values, we have limited control over the commercial aircraft and maritime vessels that utilize our
gateway. Given that many of the ships and aircraft calling on our port have international
itineraries, or are owned by companies with global reach, we need international standards and
cooperation to fully achieve the Port’s goals.
In 2025 the United States federal government’s foreign policy and international priorities
disrupted and challenged established norms, contributing to global instability in trade and
diplomatic relations. The Port of Seattle continued its direct international engagement and
experienced the critical role of subnational diplomacy in global venues where the United States
federal presence has retreated.
In 2026, we anticipate the United States federal government to increasingly turn away from
global collaboration and support in favor of increasing isolationism and assertive tactics. At the
same time, this will be a significant year of international attention on Seattle as a host of the
world’s largest sporting event, the FIFA Men’s World Cup. This is an opportunity for the Port and
greater Seattle community to positively grow our international profile as a welcoming, modern
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 11b Page 2 of 5
Meeting Date: January 27, 2026
Template revised September 22, 2016.
city. Similar to 2025, the Port will continue our direct engagement with port partners and
participation in global forums to make progress on our goals.
Success of these international priorities will be achieved through highlighting the Port’s
continued local investments as well as through engagement, collaboration, and alignment on
issues with international ports and representatives, subnational governments, industry
associations, private industry, non-governmental organizations, and where possible, the United
States government.
Following Commission feedback on these draft priorities, staff will revise and bring final proposed
international priorities for full Commission approval.
2026 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 and support the adoption of principles and values by international
organizations that commit them to equity, environmental justice, and sustainable
development, as well as engaging communities most impacted by industries associated
with port operations. Actively seek opportunities to partner with other organizations in
achieving equity and environmental justice goals.
Advocate for policies, programs, projects, and investments that support and welcome
immigrants and refugees, encouraging organizations to adopt policies that create
inclusive ports of entry, advance language access, promote international travel, and
ensure safe and healthy communities, like the recently updated Welcoming Port Policy.
Advocate for policies, programs, projects, and investments that advance equity,
support environmental and economic justice, and implement the United Nations’
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Template revised September 22, 2016.
Sustainable Development Goals and United Nations Development Program’s
Environmental Justice Technical Report. Solutions must be co-developed with and center
the experiences and voices of the communities most impacted.
Actively pursue international collaborations and partnerships to advance our workforce
development programs. Encourage international organizations to develop and
strengthen workforce development programs in the maritime, aviation, construction, and
green jobs industries, sharing resources, information, and best practices.
Respecting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Support the United Nations’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the
ways it works to uphold and defend Tribal Sovereignty.
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, even if the United States is no longer a party to such agreements.
Encourage international organizations to incorporate environmental justice principles
into their 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 data-informed decision-making based on scientific information (quantitative
and qualitative) and 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.
Monitor international developments of standards for safe handling and storage of
emerging alternative aviation and maritime fuels, such as hydrogen and methanol, as
well as new technologies 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 research and 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
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Meeting Date: January 27, 2026
Template revised September 22, 2016.
Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) related to emissions, and more
generally to aviation environmental impact.
Monitor international policies and incentives for producing, distributing, and building
infrastructure for sustainable aviation and maritime fuels.
Support the IMO’s adoption 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) Ports as an eligible entity to receive future emissions revenue.
(4) 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, especially 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.
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.
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Meeting Date: January 27, 2026
Template revised September 22, 2016.
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 supporting the national
awareness campaign. Highlight the Port’s public-private partnership with local
organizations to combat human trafficking. Seek opportunities to partner and expand this
work in preparation for hosting the 2026 World Cup, including sharing resources, such as
the Anti-Human Trafficking Toolkit for host cities that the Port will finalize in Q1 2026.
Support Sustainable Tourism
Support the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and similar organizations’ best
practices that balance the environmental, social, cultural, and economic aspects of
tourism and share the Port’s, and our Washington State tourism partners’, sustainable
and inclusive tourism best practices.
ATTACHMENTS
(1) Presentation
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
January 27, 2025 – The Commission approved the 2025 International Policy Agenda
January 14, 2025 – The Commission was briefed on the draft 2025 International Policy Agenda
February 27, 2024 – The Commission approved the 2024 International Policy Agenda
February 3, 2024 – The Commission was briefed on the draft 2024 International Policy Agenda
