Our Zero Emission Drayage Program seeks to facilitate an equitable transition to zero-emission cargo-hauling trucks in our gateway – one that phases out the air and climate pollution linked to these trucks without jeopardizing critical jobs and economic development opportunities. The program, a key element of our Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy, has two components: 1) a Zero Emission Drayage Incentive Program (ZEDIP) to catalyze initial deployments of zero-emission trucks in our gateway; and 2) a stakeholder-driven Decarbonizing Drayage Roadmap (DDRM) – a shared vision and strategy for transitioning all 5,000 of the drayage trucks serving our gateway to zero-emission vehicles by 2050 or sooner.
To support the ZEDIP, the NWSA secured more than $50M in grants and launched the first phase in July 2025, offering $6.2M of that incentive funding to “first mover” drayage fleet operators and charging infrastructure developers in our region. Through a competitive procurement, the NWSA selected two projects for funding support in this initial phase of program. Through these first deployments, we anticipate that approximately 25 battery-electric drayage trucks (and associated charging infrastructure) will be operating in our gateway by June 2026
Regarding the strategy for a full-scale transition to zero-emission trucking, the NWSA saw the need for a collaborative, independently managed approach, given the scale and complexity of the challenge and our limited control as a port. Consequently, we lead the creation of the multistakeholder Puget Sound Zero Emission Truck Collaborative and secured a grant to hire a third-party coordinator. This Collaborative, for the first time, brings together a wide range of stakeholders: truck manufacturers; drayage truck fleets; utilities; charging and fueling infrastructure developers; local and state government agencies; Tribes; NGOs; and near-port communities. After 18 months of analysis and deliberations, the Collaborative published the Roadmap in April 2025 and now turns its attention to implementation.
This program advances several SDGs, notably: good health and well-being (3); decent work and economic growth (8); industry, innovation, and infrastructure (9); and climate action (13).