The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) will receive a US$54 million grant from the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP).
NWSA said it will use the funds to expand the Husky Terminal in South Harbor, improving its gateway’s competitiveness and regional job prospects.
The project is expected to improve cargo transportation safety, efficiency, and reliability while also meeting the gateway’s environmental aims. The expansion project is complex, with numerous main components such as the reconfiguration of the Terminal Yard and the increase of the refrigerated container capacity with the construction of additional reefer racks and power supply units. In addition, there will be terminal efficiency indicators. The rearrangement of on-terminal structures will improve terminal efficiency by allowing for smoother cargo flows, reduced truck idle periods, and the elimination of pinch points that now exist, according to NWSA.
Importantly, the terminal extension project aligns with the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy (NWPCAS) goal of the NWSA gateway to zero maritime emissions by 2050 or sooner. NWSA believes that improvements in cargo handling efficiency, cargo storage, and reefer capacity powered by the renewable energy grid are critical to accomplishing the project’s objectives.
This extension project relies on the NWSA’s recent investment in Husky Terminal redevelopment, which redesigned the wharf and increased the terminal’s ability to accommodate larger ships with eight super post-panamax cranes.