Port of Detroit tracks its decarbonization progress

The Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority has released the results of its second carbon emissions report as part of its ambitious Decarbonization and Air Quality Improvement Plan. Using the 2024 calendar year data supplied by terminal operators, the reassessment examines how emissions have evolved since the original Baseline Emission Report based on 2022 information.

The plan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from port activities to net zero by 2040, while also lowering other harmful emissions that affect public health and the environment. These include fugitive dust, odours, noise, vibrations and light pollution.

In the 2024 update, the port outlines its emissions profile, detailing the methodology used to establish the baseline and its collaborative approach with terminal operators, port participants, and community members. The document breaks down emissions across shipping, drayage, and goods handling, presents the port’s roadmap to net zero, and stresses the importance of annual updates and public transparency through interactive tools.

The report also features a Green Marine section that outlines the program’s standards and its valuable framework for terminals seeking to reduce noise, manage dust, and improve operational efficiencies. The section also encourages port entities to join the program with a clear target of having all of them achieve Green Marine certification by 2030 and maintain it thereafter.

As community voices are integrated into the port’s decision-making with greater consistency, the decarbonization efforts are becoming a catalyst for long-term environmental healing in nearby neighbourhoods.