The Port of Friday Harbor secured a $7 million grant through the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Port Electrification Grant Program.
With this funding, the port intends to launch several projects to lower carbon emissions and create sustainable marine practices in the Salish Sea.
This funding is a component of a bigger initiative worth $26.5 million given to 11 ports in Washington to lower greenhouse gas emissions by more than 140,000 metric tons over the next ten years.
The investment will enable the port to become fully electrified. This will involve introducing a fleet of electric workboats, creating a solar canopy and microgrid, and installing charging facilities for smaller vessels and cruise ships.
The port will collaborate with Photon Marine to replace conventional internal combustion engine vessels with electric alternatives, lowering emissions and improving environmental conditions in the area.
This agreement will bring electric boats to the port, including a 28-foot electric passenger transport boat, a 24-foot electric workboat, and a 24-foot electric pump out vessel.
These boats will assist the local marine habitat, which includes the resident orca pods, by reducing noise pollution, diesel particulate and nitrogen oxide emissions, and improving the cleanliness of the surrounding seas.
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Marcelino J Alvarez, the CEO and co-founder of Photon Marine, said, “Photon Marine is proud to partner with the Port of Friday Harbor on this transformative project. Our mission to decarbonize marine propulsion is advancing with this collaboration, marking a key step toward cleaner, quieter, and more efficient vessel operations in the Pacific Northwest.
He added, “This partnership also enables us to establish the first U.S. node in our electric vessel supercharger corridor within the Salish Sea. We are thrilled to be contributing to this program that benefits the environment, the economy, and the maritime ecosystem.”
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This initiative will concentrate on workforce development through specialized training programs provided in collaboration with Photon Marine and Mostar Labs, in addition to the electrification activities.
Through these programs, workers will acquire the skills to maintain high-voltage systems, electric vessels, and infrastructure supporting renewable energy sources.