Seattle’s Terminal 5 container complex is slated for upgrades to accommodate larger vessels.
Photo/Port of Seattle
The Port of Seattle has completed the environmental analysis of Terminal 5 and has prepared the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) on the project to modernize the cargo-handling facility in order to serve larger cargo vessels.
Terminal 5 includes approximately 197 acres committed to marine cargo uses. It is one of four deep-draft container cargo facilities in the Elliott Bay area of Seattle Harbor. Pier 5 cargo volumes are projected to rise from approximately 647,000 TEUs in 2019 to "an upper capacity level" of some 1.3 million TEUs by 2030. The proposed upgrades are wharf rehabilitation, berth deepening, electrical service and improvements to the upland portions of the property.
Mitigation measures include: plug-in capability for shore power at two berths, air quality performance tracking, a safety corridor between the Terminal 5 gate and the Duwamish river to minimize use locomotive horns, and required use of ambient-sensing broadband back up alarms. Others include: a Gate Queue Management plan, a truck driver information system, comprehensive traffic signal improvements and an operation noise management plan to ensure and monitor compliance with the Seattle noise code.
The FEIS evaluated potential impacts to earth, air, water, plants, animals, energy and natural resources, environmental health, noise, aesthetics (including light and glare), historic and cultural resources, transportation and public services. The Port of Seattle Commission must approve the recommended improvements in public session.
Review and download the FEIS.